International Womens Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to

celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an
extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.
This years theme, Equality for women is progress for all emphasizes how gender equality,
empowerment of women, womens full enjoyment of human rights and the eradication of poverty
are essential to economic and social development. It also stresses the vital role of women as
agents of development.
With the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) around the corner,
International Womens Day is also an opportunity to review the challenges and achievements in
the MDG implementation for women and girls, as the Commission on the Status of Women will
be doing from 10 to 21 March 2014.