Background
The International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and girls, while also making a call to action for strengthening gender equality and accelerating women’s empowerment. The United Nations General Assembly declared 8th March the International Women’s Day in 1975. The day is devoted to addressing pertinent issues on women such as; gender equality, reproductive rights, violence and abuse against women, discrimination based on sex, exclusion, women’s role in society among others. Kenya has endeavored to commemorate the day to honor women’s contribution to socioeconomic and political development.
The theme for the observance of the IWD 2024 is “Invest in women: Accelerate progress.” This theme is based on the United Nations 68th Commission on the Status of Women priority theme ‘Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective’. The theme highlights key issues relating to investing in women as a human rights issue, calling for urgent action in ending poverty through implementing gender-responsive financing and shifting to a green economy and care society to amplify women’s voices. The theme resonates well with the national development agenda, Kenya Vision 2030’s Social Pillar which aspires to build a just and cohesive society that enjoys equitable social development in a clean and secure environment through investing in the people. The theme further reinforces the Government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda which recognizes the significance of women’s economic empowerment in fostering equitable development and offers support through access to finance, markets, skills development, and entrepreneurship.
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