International Women’s Day (IWD) 2020 was successfully celebrated in Honiara at the HCC area, Monday.
It originally falls on Sunday 8th March 2020 but was moved to be celebrated on Monday.
International Women’s Day is an event celebrated worldwide. This is an opportunity for women to come together and be recognized, to highlight their positive contributions to society and to celebrate with the community as equal members.
The theme for International Women’s Day (8 March) 2020 is, “We are Generation Equality: Access to Equal Rights”.
The theme is aligned with UN Women’s new multi-generational campaign on Generation Equality which marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Adopted in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, the Beijing Platform for Action is recognized as the most progressive roadmap for the empowerment of women and girls everywhere.
The year 2020 is a pivotal year for advancing gender equality worldwide as the global community takes stock of progress made for Access to Equal Rights since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action.
It will also mark several other galvanizing moments in the gender equality movement: a five-year milestone towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals; the 20th anniversary of UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security and the 10th anniversary of UN Women’s establishment.
Honiara City Council- Youth, Sport and Women Division is the main primary implementing body in delivering this event and it’s Women’s Officer is also the chairperson of the organizing committee.
The committee consists of several crucial stakeholders and organisations across Honiara including the Women’s Development Division of the Ministry of Women, Youth and Children’s Affairs (MWYCA), Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, CSSI, Women’s rights Action movements, Ministry of Traditional Governance Peace & Esslesiastional Affairs, World Vision, Oxfam, Self Ples CBSI/YWPG, World fish, Solomon Water and the Women’s development department of Honiara City Council.
The event allows women and women’s groups to engage with each other and build strong relations to showcase their skills and talents and to raise their voices on issues of concern to them.
Janet Oge- IWD20 Chairlady/Head of Honiara City Council Women/Children’s Department says women play a vital role in our society and deserved to be recognized for their hard work, must be upheld and valued as equal members.
Women’s Development Division of the Ministry of Women, Youth and Children’s Affairs, Jocelyn Tepai says that this event will be a joint effort and collaboration between partner organisations in order to bring attention to women’s great achievements and to provide a time and space for women to come together.
Private businesses, churches and church groups, community organisations, government ministries and all members of the community have been invited to participate in the activities.
This event is to encourage people to come together and show gratitude for our women of the past, present, and future.
