"Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures" is the 2012 theme of the internationalwomensday.com
website and this has been widely used by hundreds of organisations including schools, universities, governments, women’s groups and the private sector.
International Women's Day (originally called International Working Women’s Day) is held on March 8 of every year, a holiday around the world that celebrates the accomplishments of women in all walks of life, respect, appreciation, and love towards women, as well as a collective reminder of past and continuing efforts to eliminate inequalities faced by women. The first national Women's Day was observed on 28 February 1909 in the United States.
Organizations, governments, charities and women's groups around the world choose different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues.
Each year the United Nations declares an overall International Women's Day theme. Their 2012 theme is “Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty”. Many organisations develop their own themes that are more relevant to their local contexts. For example, the European Parliament's 2012 theme is "Equal pay for work of equal value".
Below are some of the United Nation International Women's Day themes:
- 2011: Equal access to education, training and science and technology
- 2010: Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all
- 2009: Women and men united to end violence against women and girls
- 2008: Investing in Women and Girls
- 2007: Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls
- 2006: Women in decision-making
- 2005: Gender Equality Beyond 2005: Building a More Secure Future
- 2004: Women and HIV/AIDS
- 2003: Gender Equality and the Millennium Development Goals
- 2002: Afghan Women Today: Realities and Opportunities
- 2001: Women and Peace: Women Managing Conflicts
- 2000: Women Uniting for Peace