International Women’s Day 2021: ‘Choose to Challenge’

International Women’s Day takes place on March 8 every year to celebrate women’s rights and inspire people to act in the ongoing fight for gender equality. This year, March 8 falls on a International Women’s Day is a United Nations-sanctioned global holiday. It celebrates women’s contributions to society, raises awareness about the fight for gender parity, and inspires support for organizations that help women globally.

The International Women’s Day theme for 2021 is #ChooseToChallenge, which highlights the importance of challenging biases and misconceptions in the interest of creating a more inclusive and gender-equal world. The 2020 theme was #EachforEqual; 2019’s was #BalanceforBetter. In 2018, the theme of International Women’s Day was #PressforProgress, the 2017 Women’s Day theme was #BeBoldforChange, and the 2016 theme was #PledgeforParity.

The UN also issued a 2021 theme: “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future an a COVID-10 world.” The UN’s 2021 theme celebrates efforts from girls and women in creating a more equal future and COVID-19 pandemic recovery.

According to the IWD Website, “A challenging world is an alert world. Individually, we are all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day. We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality.

“We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world. From challenge comes change, so let’s all choose to challenge.

Meanwhile, due to the COVID-19 pandemic restriction on the social gathering and national lockdown still enforced in the UK, this year International Women’s Day will be held virtually.

“The pandemic won’t dampen our spirits in the pursuit to connect communities around the world to collaboratively forge positive change for women,” the IWD website said.

However, People can show their support for IWD 2021 and this year’s theme #ChooseToChallenge, by posting an image of themselves on social media with their hand raised high to show they choose to challenge and call out inequality.

The organisation is also encouraging participants to use hashtags #ChooseToChallenge #IWD2021 to show solidarity for the celebration.

Individuals and organisations are inviting people to send their #ChooseToChallenge images which will be shared around the world in the lead up to International Women’s Day 2021.