This year’s IWD theme, Accelerate Action, calls for heightened urgency and transformative change to accelerate the pace of progress for women’s rights and empowerment.
Today we celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political strides and strength of women worldwide while also reinforcing our commitment to gender equality for a more safe, inclusive and equitable world.
Did you know that, at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158 to reach full gender parity?
And, at present, women represent less than half of the global workforce and only 31.7% of senior leadership!
In the areas of Economic Participation and Opportunity and Political Empowerment, women are significantly suffering with economic participation sitting at 60.5% and political engagement and empowerment at 22.5%.
“No country in the world has achieved gender equality. Through our International Women’s Day events, we aim to put the spotlight on global issues that perpetuate gender inequality and highlight actions we can all take on the path to a gender equal world.”
– United Nations Women
In 2025, significant barriers to gender equality remain.
However, positive progress and change can be made for women worldwide with the right actions and committed, ongoing support!
Since 2009, Girls from Oz has dedicated itself to prioritising girls and young women in its programming.
Each year we strive to reach as many Australian girls as we possibly can to provide them with additional Positive Childhood Experiences through consistent, reliable programs that encourage feelings of belonging and connectedness to peers, community and culture; inspire curiosity and creative thinking; promote positivity and joy; activate heightened engagement in arts and cultural activities, including Indigenous language learning; and motivate girls to challenge themselves and stand in their power.
In remote communities where the engagement and personal development of boys are often prioritised for funding; for example, through sports initiatives, girls see less extra-curricular opportunities presented to them in their formative years, limiting their personal and professional growth and success in comparison to their male counterparts.
“We need our young girls to be our leaders, to share their stories, to have a voice, to challenge the things that are unfair, unequal…and that’s what Girls from Oz gives to them.”
– Carolyn Polkinghorne, Jaru and Kija woman and former g-oz Board Member
Over the past 17 years, g-oz has been unwavering in its contribution to addressing gender inequality and breaking the cycle of disadvantage experienced by youth in remote Australia.
We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to flourish and thrive, and that every girl deserves to live in a safe, inclusive and gender equal world.
“Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO, our Patron and enthusiastic supporter, utilised her legal training early in her career to advance the status of women in a range of ways. Among other important work that she has done across her 60+ year career, this remains a primary focus. Those of us who have been feminists for many years sometimes lament the lack of social change and so this year’s International Women’s Day theme is especially appealing – Accelerate Action!”– Nicole Muir AM, g-oz Chair
Please help us to continue our work and accelerate the much needed action required to close the gender gap!
If you haven’t already, we invite you to join our dedicated #IWD2025 network who have come together in support of g-oz and who are making this International Women’s Day one of the biggest Giving Days of the year!
Click the button below to join our growing community of regular givers who choose to commit to accelerating action every four weeks by gifting a donation to g-oz. Alternatively, you can donate a one-off gift in support of our important work.
We deeply appreciate every donation, no matter how big or small, as each gift ensures g-oz can continue to empower and uplift the next generation of Australian women – thank you!
To read more about the history of IWD, click here.
To read the Global Gender Gap Report 2024, click here.
To stay up to date with all things g-oz, sign up to our mailing list here.
Featured Image: Girls from Oz and the Australian Girls Choir at Admiralty House with Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC as part of the 2024 g-oz Travel Program to Sydney.
