International Women’s Day 2025: Rights. Equality. Empowerment
Why in the news
The world marked International Women’s Day on 8 March 2025 under a UN theme tied to the 30th anniversary of the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Key facts
- Date: 8 March every year.
- 2025 theme: ‘For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.’
- The year marked three decades since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted in 1995 by 189 governments.
- UN Women reported that 159 countries sent national reviews of progress on women’s rights.
- UN Women noted that many countries reported backlash against gender equality.
- Before 1995 only 12 countries had legal sanctions on domestic violence; UN Women cited 1,583 legislative measures across 193 countries today.
About UN Women
UN Women is the UN entity dedicated to gender equality and women’s empowerment. In 2025 it was led by Executive Director Sima Bahous. A UN commemoration at the General Assembly Hall in New York featured Secretary-General António Guterres.
Exam angle
- Learn the 2025 theme word for word; themes change every year.
- Link the year to the Beijing Platform for Action (1995) and its 30th anniversary.
- Pair it with other UN days in the list, such as Zero Discrimination Day (1 March).