International Women’s Day 2026

Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, our students led a whole-school assembly to reflect on why IWD is celebrated and the central United Nations theme of ‘Rights, Justice, Action: For ALL Women and Girls’:

Why do we celebrate IWD?

Emilie introduced the assembly by announcing that UN Women will launch a report at the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, warning that the systems meant to protect women and girls are failing, leaving millions exposed to discrimination, violence, impunity and backlash as gender inequality intensifies and violations of fundamental rights rise worldwide.
This means it is more important now than ever before to celebrate International Women’s Day.

What does IWD mean to us?

Emilie stated “International Women’s Day is about women’s equality in all its forms. Today, we are marking the call to justice for all women and girls.”

The theme laid out by the UN is ‘Rights, Justice, Action: For ALL Women and Girls’:

She said

“This idea is so important as it reminds us that the fight for gender equality is not finished, it is ongoing. Thus fight is evident , in the women across the world challenging structural barriers, tackling discriminatory laws, and confronting harmful social norms.

For me, the phrase ‘for all women’ is also incredibly powerful. It highlights the importance of intersectionality, recognizing that equality must include everyone, and that individuals will experience gender inequality in many different ways. More importantly though, I think it carries and promotes a message of hope, that every action matters and every voice contributes to change. It highlights the legacy of activists and campaigners who have already shifted power dynamics and helped reshape our world into a more equal place.”

What are the key issues?

Archana explained there are many different issues that affect women globally and highlighted some key challenges:

Millions of young girls still face barriers to their education. Many women’s experiences with discrimination can make everyday spaces and actions feel unsafe and threatening. And in systems such as healthcare, politics and the media unconscious bias can still shape the way women are treated and represented. These issues might not seem loud or obvious to us. Because often they are subtle, and embedded into the institutions and expectations that surround us, but they continue to shape the lives and opportunities of young women and girls across the world, which is why we should keep talking about it.

Lena described what ‘equal justice’ might look like:

“Equal justice is the notion that all individuals, no matter their race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic background, or other social and political identities, are treated equally. Within the context of gender equality, equal justice promotes intersectionality, in which all women are advocated for and protected from gender discrimination, regardless of their background.”

Equal justice takes form in the active enforcement of the rights women are entitled to, which despite being established as laws, have often been neglected, so that women can actually experience the rights they have. An example of this enforcement could be ensuring legally-protected access to education for all girls, and even less tangible goals, such as creating a climate in which women feel at liberty to participate and lead in society.

Lena highlighted where we have we seen improvement:

In the past few years, we have seen a lot of improvement in the pursuit of equal justice. A key focus of intersectional feminism is putting an end to child marriage, an area in which many legal reforms have been implemented worldwide recently. For example, in 2016, UNICEF launched the Global Programme to End Child Marriage, which reached more than 21 million girls at risk of child marriage globally. Other main areas of improvement include the tackling of transphobia, girls’ unrestricted access to healthcare, striving to resolve period poverty and generally representing women who suffer from multiple forms of discrimination.

Ellie reiterated where is there still room for improvement:

International Women’s Day is powerful because it celebrates women’s achievements and inspires change. However, “one challenge is that sometimes it becomes just one day of speeches and posts, while inequality continues the rest of the year. An important improvement would be turning inspiration into action – for example, starting student-led projects, mentorship programs, or monthly discussions that keep the conversation going all year. Celebrating is important, but lasting change happens when we move beyond one day and make equality part of everyday school life.”

How can we make IWD more inclusive?

To make International Women’s Day more inclusive, Ellie and Archana explained how we can ensure all voices are heard – including women of different cultures, abilities, backgrounds, and identities; by celebrating everyday role models in our own school and community; by creating open conversations and encouraging everyone to take part. This, says Archana, makes the day not just about recognition, but about belonging and shared progress. She suggested a great way to do so is to come to WOW club every Friday and learn about new inspirational women and politics!