On Saturday 8^th March, Soroptimists around the
world will be taking part in a wide range of events and activities to mark International
Women’s Day.

“This is a global day of celebration and reflection of
women’s successes and achievements, economically, politically and socially”,
explains Soroptimist International President Ann Garvie in her International
Women’s Day message.   “Notwithstanding, we are acutely aware that
there remain many unacceptable barriers that limit women’s opportunities around
the world…We must continue to strive tirelessly for
equality and human rights for all”.

Equality for Women is Progress for All

Soroptimist
International is joining UN Women in highlighting that Equality for Women is
Progress for All on International Women’s Day. 
Empowering women and tackling gender inequality is a vital to
making the world healthier, happier and more prosperous for all – this is a key
message as the global community devises a Post-2015 development framework to
succeed the Millennium Development Goals. SI has produced a series of IWD resources
to promote understanding of the benefits of gender-equality and will also be
emphasising this point at the 58th Session of the UN’s Commission for the
Status of Women (CSW58), which opens on 10 March.

Read messages from UN Women Executive
Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for
International Women’s Day.

Soroptimist Action Around the World

Pictured above are examples of Soroptimist actions for International Women’s Day 2014. Soroptimist clubs: add your pictures by submitting them with a Programme Focus Report, via the SI Facebook page, or email hq(a)soroptimistinternational.org. 

From speaker events to marches, flashmobs to fundraisers,
training sessions to candle-lit vigils, SI clubs, regions and federations will
be taking action to celebrate the achievements of women and girls, while also
highlighting the barriers they face and helping to overcome them. See photos of
some of these events from around the world in the slideshow below, which will
be updated as we receive more pictures.

Soroptimist
International of Europe has issued a statement on behalf of its 35,000
club members in 59 countries across Europe,
the Middle East, and Africa, highlighting the fact that gender inequality
still comes in many shapes and forms and pledging to continue their efforts to
combat violence against women and girls, promote women’s human rights and
support their education and empowerment. Read
SIE’s full statement.

IWD events
across the SIGBI federation highlighted on their website include:

• SI Arusha
  (Tanzania) officially “handing over” a new delivery room at the Mkonoo
  Health Centre to the community; the club have donated much needed equipment to
  help save the lives of mothers and babies delivered at the centre.
• Clubs in St
  Helens, Plymouth and Swindon (UK) taking to the streets and  town centres to raise awareness of domestic violence;
• Soroptimists
  from 10 clubs in London Anglia Region dancing their International Women’s Day message on a busy bridge in Cambridge;
  more than 70 members will be joined by dance students to spell out “Educate the
  World’s Girls” and “Teach Us”, “Let Us Grow”. 
• Awareness raising events about human trafficking in Barbados and Scotland.

Just a few examples of other events around the world include:

• SI
  Hamilton (USA) supporting a theatre production featuring a series of monologues about the personal ordeals
  of each of the female characters.
• SI Hobart (Australia) organising a forum to quiz political
  candidates on issues facing women and girls ahead of their State Election;
• SI
  Region of Malaysia holding a Saturday of Service and Women’s Day celebration at
  the SI Damansara Vocational Resource Centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
• SI
  Moreton North INc (Australia) screened the Girl Rising film, which shares
  the powerful stories of girls from around the world, and an exclusive interview
  with Bindi Irwin, 15 year old global wildlife campaigner and daughter of the
  late conservationist and TV presenter Steve Irwin, who shares her thoughts about educating girls, social
  media and what people can do to get involved in wildlife conservation.

Soroptimists: to have photographs of your events added to the slideshow above, submit them with a Programme Focus Report, via the SI Facebook page, or email hq(a)soroptimistinternational.org.