United Nations Announces 2016 Theme for International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day takes place on Tuesday, March 8, 2016.

This year’s theme is ‘Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality.’ In a statement released by the United Nations, the theme will equally focus on new commitments under UN Women’s Step It Up initiative, and other existing commitments on gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s human rights.

[Related: Join Black Women “Getting in Formation” to Advance Nutrition and Agriculture for International Women’s Day]

The U.N. is organizing International Women’s Day events in more than 40 countries around the world. Events include: a friendly

hockey match between a men’s and women’s team in Tanzania on 5 March; a march and cycling rally in New Delhi, India, on 6 March; a festival with live musical and dance performances in Palestine on 8 March; marches, a football match and painting expositions across Albania from 5-8 March; and a women’s ‘run to Step It Up’ in São Paulo, Brazil, on 20 March–to name just a few.

Additionally, the United Nations has compiled 3 ways you can get involved:

1. Attend an event – The official U.N. commemoration will take place in the Trusteeship Council at
   the U.N. Secretariat in New York City from 10 a.m.-12.45 p.m. It will consist of a series of musical performances and two-panel discussions. The first, from 10-11.15 a.m., will reflect on what a gender-equal planet means and how to achieve it by 2030 by joining the efforts of the United Nations, governments, civil society and the private sector. For the second panel, entitled ‘The Push for Parity,’ panelists will probe the progress made in achieving gender equality in the U.N. system, examine the challenges remaining and unpack how to mainstream gender perspectives from 11.15 a.m.—12.45 p.m. See the flyers.
2. Watch the live webcast, from 10 a.m.-12.45 p.m. on 8 March! Also on 8 March, Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri will ring the opening bell at the NASDAQ Stock Exchange in New York at 9 a.m. Similar events will take place in 34 countries around the world as part of joint awareness-raising efforts with the Global Compact.
3. Join the conversation for International Women’s Day on social media. Check out the following social media events:

• Main hashtags: #IWD2016 (#DíadelaMujer, #Journéedelafemme); #Planet5050 — check out the automatic emoji on Twitter when tweeting with the hashtag #IWD2016!
• Main Twitter accounts: @UN_Women (English), @ONUMujeres (Spanish), @ONUFemmes (French)
• Main Facebook accounts: UN Women (English), ONU Mujeres (Spanish), ONU Femmes (French)
• Other accounts: Instagram, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest
• Change your Facebook and Twitter cover image with the banners available in English, Spanish and French (under “General”) here.
• If you organize or participate in a local International Women’s Day event, share your images and messages on our Facebook Event page and bring your event to a global audience.
• On 8 March, log into Snapchat to see the Live Story celebrating remarkable women.

Read More: United Nations