On the eve of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025, UN Women Deputy Executive Director, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, urges the world to celebrate individual contributions toward gender equality, emphasising that every action counts. Often, aggregate statistics overshadow the personal efforts of those driving change, and she calls for recognising their dedication. Second, she encourages resilience in the face of setbacks. While acknowledging recent regressions, she insists that the progress achieved is substantial, enduring, and cannot be undermined by temporary obstacles.
She explains that the IWD2025 theme of ‘For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment’ underscores the need to prioritise all women and girls from birth through aging. Recognising that human rights apply to all, she acknowledges that global inequalities persist. The theme of equality reinforces non-discrimination, while empowerment involves equipping women and girls with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities needed for their advancement. This comprehensive approach seeks to shape a more inclusive world.
Discussing UN Women’s key initiatives for IWD 2025, Gumbonzvanda outlines three major actions. The first is a global call to action to accelerate the implementation of gender-related commitments at international, national, and local levels. It emphasises the need for a digital revolution while addressing gender-related barriers to technology. The initiative also seeks to eradicate gender-driven poverty and violence, and advocates for increased female representation in decision-making, peacekeeping, and climate action.
The second initiative involves a high-level special event to commemorate IWD 2025. UN Women is collaborating with various UN agencies and local organisations worldwide, ensuring that the issues affecting women in different regions receive due attention. The third initiative focuses on young women and girls, addressing child marriage, teenage pregnancy, female genital mutilation, and human trafficking. Special emphasis is placed on keeping girls in school, enhancing their skills, and ensuring their health and well-being, so that they can contribute meaningfully to solutions for a more equitable world.
Reflecting on the slow progress of SDG 5 on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls, Gumbonzvanda acknowledges that disparities persist across countries. She stresses the importance of scaling up local and national initiatives, particularly gender-responsive budgeting. She notes that this approach supports governments in prioritising gender equality investments, but emphasises that broader discussions on fiscal policies and debt relief are crucial. Furthermore, she highlights the need for economic justice, particularly in securing property rights for women and closing the gender pay gap, which has remained stagnant over the past two decades.
Accountability and data collection form the third pillar of her argument. Gumbonzvanda asserts that evidence-based policymaking is essential for progress. She references the significant global expenditure on military budgets in contrast to the millions of girls deprived of education, urging governments to realign their priorities toward human security, education, and healthcare. However, she cautions that data alone is insufficient unless it leads to tangible policy changes.
Collective action, she argues, is indispensable for progress on SDG 5. She calls for a multi-sectoral approach involving women-led organisations, youth groups, businesses, academia, and policymakers. Drawing from the Generation Equality initiative, she emphasises that bold commitments must be backed by concrete, adequately funded actions. Additionally, sustained political will is critical to accelerating the commitments of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Regarding India’s progress on SDG 5, Gumbonzvanda acknowledges challenges while commending significant milestones. She recognises India’s advocacy for gender equality within the G20 framework and highlights the country’s 33% reservation for women in government as a historic step. However, she points out that true parity is still unattained. Gender-responsive budgeting in India accounts for 8.8% of the national budget, reflecting a commitment to financing gender equality, but she insists that more effort is needed across sectors like healthcare, education, and environmental policies.
Digital inclusion also emerges as a crucial focus area. Gumbonzvanda acknowledges India’s leadership in digital innovation and stresses the need for policies that ensure women are not just consumers but co-creators of technology. She advocates for increased investments in digital inclusion to enhance women’s economic, social, and political participation.
On the occasion of IWD 2025, Gumbonzvanda delivers two key messages. First, she urges the world to celebrate individual contributions toward gender equality, emphasising that every action counts. Often, aggregate statistics overshadow the personal efforts of those driving change, and she calls for recognising their dedication. Second, she encourages resilience in the face of setbacks. While acknowledging recent regressions, she insists that the progress achieved is substantial, enduring, and cannot be undermined by temporary obstacles.
She stresses that setbacks highlight areas where discriminatory thinking persists, reinforcing the necessity of ongoing advocacy. She references the UN Charter’s commitment to a world free of discrimination and calls for collective commitment, resources, and transformative action. Governments, private enterprises, academia, and civil society must work together to advance gender equality.
Additionally, Gumbonzvanda acknowledges the hardships faced by displaced women and girls, particularly those in refugee camps. She urges global solidarity, emphasising that gender-based inequalities are human-made and preventable through political will and proactive policymaking. She concludes by reinforcing that a world defined by rights, equality, and empowerment is both necessary and achievable.
International Women’s Day 2025, she asserts, is not just a celebration—it is a call to action, urging individuals, governments, and organisations to push forward in the collective fight for gender equality.
