8 March — International Women’s Day

DID YOU KNOW Seventy per cent of the 1.3 billion people living in conditions of poverty are women. In urban areas, 40 per cent of the poorest households are headed by women.  Click to learn more

Women predominate in the world’s food production (50-80 per cent), but they own less than 10 per cent of the land. Click to learn more

80 per cent of the displaced by climate related disasters and changes around the world are women and girls.  Click to learn more

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28)

The critical contribution of women and girls in responding to a future that is sustainable for generations to come, is marked in this year’s theme for International Women’s Day: “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”. 

8 March – International Women’s Day aims to share the recognition of women’s achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. The growing of international women’s movements has strengthened their rights and participation in the political and economic arenas. This year the focus is on gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow, which seeks to assert that advancing gender equality in the context of climate change and disaster risk reduction is a challenge for this century. In fact, women are increasingly being recognized as more vulnerable to climate change impacts than men. At the same time, women and girls are powerful leaders and change-makers for climate adaptation and mitigation.   (JPIC Roma)

For nearly half a century, the United Nations has observed March 8 as International Women’s Day. The day is an opportunity for us to pause, and to reflect on the reality that we live in a world that unjustly remains unequal for half of humanity. This stark truth is that women and girls who represent this half, constitute some of the most vulnerable in our society. Yet, they are the ones who continue to be ‘left behind’. This is despite their vital contribution to human and ecological development.  

Let us reflect and pray together for a world free from inequality, inequity and injustice as experienced by women and girls across our planet. We share with you this prayer reflection prepared by the Claretian Family, Daughters of the Heart of Mary. The human family can become complete only with gender equality. This prayer reflection is a help towards gender reciprocity.