Media Advisory: On International Women’s Day, UN Women calls on investing in women as the best solution to face growing crises
Date:
Media contact: [ Click to reveal ]
United Nations, New York — In a year where almost half of the population lives in a country undergoing an election, this International Women’s Day on March 8 is a crucial opportunity to define the future we want.
As conflict, climate change and polarizing societies are eroding decades of progress in gender equality, UN Women is calling on “Invest in women: Accelerate Progress” to realise the gender equality dividend for all.
Following International Women’s Day, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will address the issue of poverty hundreds of millions of women and girls are facing and solutions to accelerate the progress on gender equality. More information on CSW is available here.
Members of the media are invited to attend the following events:
International Women’s Day (IWD) official UN commemoration: “Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress”
8 March 2024, 10:00 – 11:30am ET
ECOSOC Chamber, UN Headquarters
The event will bring together the UN system, Member States, civil society organisations, youth groups and others to emphasize the critical actions required to bridge gender gaps, highlight the urgent need for strategic investment in gender equality and women’s empowerment, and showcase and celebrate key successes and best practices. The opening remarks will be followed by a high-level panel discussion. The event will also feature live musical performance by Broadway singers.
Expected participants include, amongst others (subject to change):
- António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General
- Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General
- Dennis Francis, President of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly
- Antonio Manuel Revilla Lagdameo, Chair of the Bureau for the 68th session of the CSW
- Sima Bahous, UN Women Executive Director
- Diene Keita, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director
- Cristina Duarte, UN Special Adviser on Africa
- Anne Hathaway, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, Actor and Activist
The event is open to UN Headquarters grounds pass holders and the UN accredited press corp. Registration is required for the in-person event, and it will be webcast on UN Web TV.
Ring the Bell for Gender Equality events at stock exchanges
From 4 March 2024, opening/closing bells
For the 10th year, over 100 stock exchanges around the world are hosting bell ringing ceremonies around International Women’s Day (March 8), to raise awareness of the pivotal role the private sector can play in advancing gender equality. The initiative is convened by UN Women in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation, United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative, UN Global Compact and the World Federation of Exchanges.
In these 10 years of collaboration, participating stock exchanges have also taken the opportunity to make public commitments to gender equality through signing the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), encouraging listed companies to advance women’s representation on boards; or developing sustainability-linked bonds with gender criteria or gender-focused bonds.
UN Women Deputy Executive Director Kirsi Madi will participate in person at the closing bell at Nasdaq, New York, on 8 March.
A list of Ring the Bell events around the world can be found here. For additional information contact [ Click to reveal ]
CSW68 opening ceremony
11 March 2024, 10:00am – 1:00pm ET
General Assembly Hall, UN Headquarters
The official opening session of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place in person in the General Assembly Hall at UN Headquarters in New York. The CSW68 priority theme, “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective”, represents a unique chance to address the gender-poverty gap and solutions, such as designing and delivering inclusive, gender-responsive economic policies. The event will be broadcast on UN Web TV.
More information about CSW68: https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw68-2024
UN Secretary-General’s Town Hall with CSOs
13 March 2024, 10:00am – 11:15am ET
The active participation of civil society organizations (CSOs) is a critical element in the work of the Commission of the Status of Women. The virtual town hall will be the UN Secretary-General’s António Guterres annual consultation with women’s civil society. It will provide an opportunity for women’s and youth civil society organisations to engage with the UN Secretary-General on the session’s priority theme. UN Women Executy Director Sima Bahous will moderate the conversation.
The event will be web streamed live on UN Web TV
For a full list of events you can click here.