International Women's Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements or rally for women's equality. (https://www.internationalwomensday.com/About)

Marked annually on March 8th, IWD is one of the most important days of the year to:

celebrate women's achievements
educate and awareness raise for women's equality
call for positive change advancing women
lobby for accelerated gender parity
fundraise for female-focused charities

Everyone everywhere can play a part in helping forge gender equality. From a wide range of IWD campaigns, events, rallies, lobbying, and performances - to festivals, parties, fun runs, and celebrations - all IWD activity is valid. That's what makes IWD inclusive.

International Women's Day was also celebrated in Luton. Several events were held across the town, but the ones linked with the Near Neighbours Programme, GRASSROOTS & Luton Council of Faiths included a celebratory event by ‘Ghar se Ghar’ Friends (Hindi/Urdu words meaning Home to Home) on 7th Mar at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church Hall and an online event was held on 12th Mar by United Nations Association (UNA) Luton branch on the this year’s UN theme “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”.

UNA Luton Chair Dr. Nazia Khanum, OBE & DL said, “The key issues and challenges faced by women, especially from BAME (Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic) communities, need to be explored simultaneously to ensure our clear understanding of the concept of equal access to available technology. We at the UNA-Luton agree with the UN that “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age” can and should be harnessed for achieving gender equity for women and girls. While supporting the UN theme we must also focus on our challenges and achievements.”

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/in-focus/2023/03/in-focus-international-womens-day

UN highlighted Women make up only 22 per cent of artificial intelligence workers globally. A global analysis of 133 AI systems across industries found that 44.2 per cent demonstrate gender bias. A survey of women journalists from 125 countries found that 73 per cent had suffered online violence in the course of their work.

This is despite women having made untold contributions to the digital world. Their accomplishments have been against all odds, in a field that has historically neither welcomed nor appreciated them.

Today, a persistent gender gap in digital access keeps women from unlocking technology’s full potential.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pahb_VQdwQ&t=21s

We all must therefore call on our governments, activists, and the private sector alike to power on in their efforts to make the digital world safer, more inclusive, and more equitable. Facing a multiplicity of global crises, we have a chance to create a better future—not just for women and girls, but for all humanity and all life on Earth.

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/in-focus/2023/03/in-focus-international-womens-day

International Women's Day Celebrated in Luton