International Women’s Day 2019
Changing the Rules of the Game | Stories | Video | Special features | News | Social media
The theme for International Women’s Day (8 March) this year, “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change”, puts innovation by women and girls, for women and girls, at the heart of efforts to achieve gender equality.
Use #WomensDay on social media to stand with the groundbreakers who are building a gender-equal future, and be part of the change. Check out our social media package with stereotype-defying visuals, GIFs and inspirational quotes from women innovators here.
Tweet #WomensDayAchieving a gender-equal world requires social innovations that work for both women and men and leave no one behind. From urban planning that focuses on community safety to e-learning platforms that take classrooms to women and girls, affordable and quality childcare centres, and technology shaped by women, innovation can take the race for gender equality to its finishing line by 2030.
It begins with making sure that women’s and girls' needs and experiences are integrated at the very inception of technology and innovations. It means building smart solutions that go beyond acknowledging the gender gaps to addressing the needs of men and women equally. And ultimately, it needs innovations that disrupt business as usual, paying attention to how and by whom technology is used and accessed, and ensuring that women and girls play a decisive role in emerging industries.
Join us to celebrate women and girls, their limitless imagination, their joyous dreams and their boundless strength.
Changing the Rules of the Game: Innovating the Way to Equality
Across Europe and Central Asia, women are industry leaders, innovators, activists and social entrepreneurs. Each day, they bring their ideas and their hearts into transforming our world through the empowerment of women and girls. They are changing the ways business is conducted, cities are built, services are delivered. Their way is a smart, sustainable one, and in sharing some of their inspiring stories, we salute their ingenuity and courage. Read more.
Stories
It’s a simple idea with powerful potential in preventing gender-based violence. Wear a bracelet that can send an SMS alert if a risk arises. The idea was one of several developed by high-school students alert to the possibilities of innovating for change. Read more
Müjde Esin, 34, founded the award-winning KizCode (GirlCode), a social enterprise harnessing technology to empower girls and young women from minority and disadvantaged communities in Turkey. Read more
From where I stand: Victoria Danila
Victoria Danila, 34, entrepreneur from Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, who designs clothes and other products tailored to the needs of premature babies. Read more
From where I stand: Nino Nanitashvili
Nino Nanitashvili was just 18 when she became the only girl in Georgia involved in a Google developer group. She went on to found Women Techmakers, which encourages women to explore new roles in IT. Read more
Take Five: Maja Lalic
“Maja Lalic is a renowned Serbian architect and expert in gender equality and climate change. Lalic calls for embracing the circular economy, which minimizes waste and makes the most of resources. Read more
Video: This #WomensDay, we’re innovating for change
What does it mean to innovate? From mobile banking to artificial intelligence and the internet of things, it is vital that women’s ideas and experiences equally influence the design and implementation of the innovations that shape our future societies.
Five innovations that have advanced women’s rights
From the internet to the bicycle, here are just a handful of innovations we take for granted today that have shaped the lives of women and girls worldwide. Read more►
Women rising: Women’s activism that has shaped the world
We're celebrating women activists around the world who have insisted on a better world and persisted in the face of adversity. Read more►
Now you can get gender equality stories every week on your Alexa-enabled device. Find out how►
News
- Media advisory: International Women’s Day 2019
- International Women’s Day 2019: Think equal, build smart, innovate for change
Take the #WomensDay social media challenge!
- For International Women’s Day, join us to increase the visibility and recognition of women trailblazers. Follow @UN_Women to take one of the daily challenges, from finding a woman on your currency to sharing a street named after a woman in your town. A new challenge will be revealed every day!
- Check out the automatic emoji on Twitter when tweeting with the official hashtag #WomensDay.
- Change your Facebook and Twitter cover image with banners available here.
- Follow our accounts for live coverage from UN Women events and share content from our social media package, packed with images, GIFs, videos and sample messages in English, Spanish and French, available here.
See our coverage of International Women's Day 2018
See our coverage of International Women's Day 2017
See our coverage of International Women's Day 2016
See our coverage of International Women's Day 2015
See our coverage of International Women's Day 2014
See our coverage of International Women's Day 2013
See our coverage of International Women's Day 2012