International Women’s Day: 8 March
By Melody Ugochi Nnaji / GICJ
Introduction
International Women’s Day, observed every year on 8 March, celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women while highlighting the ongoing struggle for gender equality. Established over a century ago, this day has become a global opportunity to recognise women’s contributions and remind the world that women’s rights are human rights and achieving equality benefits society as a whole. In 1975, the United Nations officially recognised 8 March as International Women’s Day, encouraging countries to promote equality and address discrimination.
Women’s rights are protected under international human rights law. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) [1] guarantees equal rights for men and women, while the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) obliges states to eliminate discrimination and ensure full participation of women in political, economic, cultural and social life. These legal frameworks provide the basis for realising equality between women and men through ensuring women's equal access to, and equal opportunities in, political and public life, including the right to vote and to stand for election, as well as education, health and employment [2].
Despite the fact that some degree of progress has been made, gender inequality persists worldwide. Women continue to face discrimination, limited economic opportunities, inadequate representation in politics and gender-based violence. International Women’s Day serves as a reminder that legal protections alone are not enough; States must dismantle discriminatory structures, and create environments where women can thrive safely and equally.
Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls
This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL women and Girls”, sends a powerful message that the recognition of rights alone is insufficient. Women and girls have rights enshrined in international treaties and in national frameworks, but without effective mechanisms to enforce them, these rights will remain abstract promises rather than lived realities.
Action is the bridge that transforms these rights from mere words on paper and makes them part of everyday reality for women. It demands that governments, institutions, civil societies and individuals must fight to ensure quality opportunities for women and girls. Action takes various forms, including:, implementing policies that prevent discrimination, dismantling barriers to education and economic participation, advocating against gender-based violence and challenging societal norms that perpetuate inequality.
The emphasis on “for ALL” reinforces inclusivity. Every woman and girl, regardless of age, geographic location, social background or any other personal circumstance deserves protection of her rights through equal access to justice. Excluding anyone leaves systemic gaps and undermines the very fabric of the UDHR and CEDAW.
In essence, this theme is both a mandate and a challenge and reinforces the idea that rights alone are insufficient and without action.Justice remains out of reach for many.
Give to Gain: Women’s Empowerment as a Shared Return
The Give to Gain campaign highlights a simple but critical idea: when women and girls are empowered, everyone benefits. It calls on individuals, communities, institutions and governments to support women’s rights and opportunities, not as charity, but as an investment for society.
Supporting women in education, health, economic participation and security creates benefits for all. Access to quality education enables girls to become leaders and innovators. Inclusive economic policies allow women to contribute fully to the economic growth of the society. Safe environments give women the confidence to participate in public life. Each of these actions promotes equitable development and reinforces social cohesion.
Give to Gain focuses on reciprocity. Supporting women is not solely for their benefit; ensuring justice, equality and opportunity for all women and girls produces a collective return. Women’s empowerment is a shared gain, and investment in women delivers tangible advantages for everyone.
Removing Barriers to Gender Justice
Despite global recognition of women’s rights in various international instruments, many barriers continue to limit the realisation of equality for women and girls. Legal protections often exist, yet enforcement remains weak, leaving many women without effective remedies when their rights are violated. Discriminatory laws and unequal access to justice are the daily reality of millions of women across the world. Even where gender-neutral laws exist, harmful social norms and stigma often discourage women from reporting abuse or pursuing legal remedies. Justice systems frequently fail to respond adequately to gender-based violence, leaving victims without protection or redress.
Economic inequality also remains a major obstacle. Women are disproportionately affected by poverty, unpaid care work and informal employment. Limited access to education, credit, land ownership and decent work opportunities restricts women’s economic independence. These inequalities are further compounded by conflict, climate crises and displacement, which disproportionately impact women and girls.
Social and cultural norms continue to reinforce gender stereotypes and silence women’s voices. Harmful practices, gender-based violence and exclusion from decision making processes undermine progress and weaken collective development. When women are marginalised, societies lose talent and innovation.
Addressing these barriers is essential. Without dismantling structural and systemic obstacles, the promise of rights, justice and shared progress remains unfulfilled.
Global Case Study
Despite decades of global commitments on gender equality, recent data shows that women and girls remain under-represented and face persistent inequality across the world. According to the UN Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025, women hold only 27.2 per cent of seats in national parliaments as of 1 January 2025, and progress toward parity has slowed compared with recent years [3].
Representation at local levels has also stagnated, with women occupying approximately 35.5 per cent of seats in local governments in 2023 and 2024 [4]. These figures indicate that even though political participation has improved slightly over time, the pace of change remains slow and gender imbalances in decision-making persist.
Women’s proximity to conflict zones adds another layer of disadvantage. UNESCO reported that in 2024, 676 million women and girls lived within 50 km of a deadly conflict event, the highest number since the 1990s, exposing them to heightened risks of violence, displacement and loss of access to education and essential services [5].
These global trends show that legal and policy commitments must be matched with funding and implementation measures to ensure that women’s rights are realised in practice rather than remaining goals on paper.
Role of States, Institutions and Civil Society
States remain the primary duty bearers for the protection and fulfilment of women’s rights under international law. Governments are required to give legal and practical effect to their international obligations and to ensure that justice systems work for women and girls in practice, not only in theory. This requires functioning courts and law enforcement bodies that respond to gender-based violations without bias or delay. Where institutions are weak, politicised or simply inaccessible, women are often denied justice even when strong legal frameworks exist.
According to UN Women’s 2025 Gender Snapshot, fewer than half of countries have comprehensive legal frameworks addressing violence against women, and enforcement gaps remain widespread despite formal ratification of international treaties [6]. Independent national human rights institutions and civil society organisations can help close this gap by monitoring compliance and holding authorities accountable.
Advancement of women’s rights depends on coordinated action between states, courts, human rights institutions and civil society actors, each fulfilling distinct but interconnected responsibilities.
UN Action
The United Nations has placed gender equality at the centre of its global agenda, recognising that women’s rights are not optional policy goals but binding international obligations. Through its Charter and subsequent instruments, the UN affirms that discrimination against women undermines rights and justice.
A key pillar of UN action is UN Women, which supports States in turning international standards into measurable outcomes. Its work focuses on legal reform, political participation, economic inclusion and the protection of women and girls from violence. UN Women plays a coordinating role across the United Nations, ensuring that gender equality is integrated into peacebuilding, humanitarian response and development planning.
Normatively, CEDAW remains the most comprehensive legal framework on women’s rights. Through periodic reporting and review, it holds States accountable for progress and exposes gaps between legal commitments and reality. Rights and justice only acquire meaning when international commitments are reflected in everyday outcomes for women and girls, across all regions.
Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ) affirms that women’s rights are legally guaranteed rights under international law and must be realised through concrete, enforceable action. Gender equality is not a matter of discretion or goodwill. It is a binding obligation arising from international human rights instruments and the principles of equality and non-discrimination.
GICJ maintains that the persistent gap between legal recognition and lived experiences of women and girls reflects the failures of States rather than gaps in law. Where women and girls continue to face violence or discrimination, the responsibility lies with States to give practical effect to their commitments. Justice systems must function in ways that ensure accessibility for women without fear, stigma or disadvantage of any kind.
In line with this position, GICJ calls for firm accountability for violations of women’s rights, including effective remedies and consequences for institutional neglect. International standards must not remain symbolic. They must shape policies, budgets, judicial practice and public institutions in ways that produce tangible change. Upholding women’s rights is not a policy preference. It is a legal duty owed to women and girls everywhere.
References
[1] Article 1, 2, 7 and 16(1) of the UDHR
[2] https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/
[3] https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2025.pdf
[4] https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2025.pdf
[5] https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-action-gender-equality-2024-2025
[6] https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/progress-on-the-sustainable-development-goals-the-gender-snapshot-2025-en.pdf
