Download:  Concept Note

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated annually to highlight the achievements of women, raise awareness about existing gender inequalities, and challenge and act towards gender equality. This year’s theme of IWD is #EmbraceEquity. This theme highlights the fact that we do not all start from the same place, and as such, we must acknowledge and make adjustments to these imbalances through fairness and justice when it comes to achieving gender equality. The Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS), Cordaid, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and its partners are committed to supporting the journey towards a gender-equal world. Through our work and engagements, we support and implement gender transformative and equitable approaches that create opportunities for individuals and communities to challenge harmful gender norms, promote positions of social and political influence and (economic) empowerment for women in communities, and address power inequities that exist between persons of different genders. We also seek to raise awareness of our achievements and lessons learned in this regard, including the achievements of women and the challenges they still face. We seek to make an impact through collective action and shared ownership to continuously drive gender parity.