International Women’s Day 2025 Accelerating Change in China and Beyond
Celebrating women who push boundaries VII: International Women’s Day 2025
Interviews with Emily Cheng, Vera Tsu Weiling, Lijia Zhang, Bovey Lee, Staceyann Chin, Jenny Woo, Bonan Li, Liu Xi, Elena Øhlander, Eshter Tang, Haige Wu, Xingyu Huang
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In order to achieve a future where no one is left behind, this year’s theme “Accelerate Action” asks for every day concrete action that can unlock equal rights, power, and opportunities for everyone. For ALL women and girls are fundamental: Rights, Equality, Empowerment. Women throughout history have always shown determination, commitment and perseverance that has allowed them to pursue and achieve their goals. Unfortunately, many of them were hindered by “ancient” obstacles such as prejudice, patriarchy and machismo that were hidden behind the corner of their path. To overcome situations like these, mutual women’s support is essential. To guarantee that girls and women everywhere may realize their full potential as equal members of society, women need to unite to dismantle obstacles, confront prejudices, and promote significant change. Today, we must recognize the significance of acting quickly, decisively, and urgently to remove the systemic prejudices and hurdles that women encounter in both the personal and professional fields. International Women’s Day 2025 overlaps with escalating instability, escalating crisis, dwindling civic space, and faith in democracy.
Millions of women and girls have been subjected to the harsh reality of armed conflict or have been marginalized, without rights, in an unsafe environment. Gender equality and women’s empowerment require action that can create power and opportunities and this path of freedom starts and walks through awareness, connections and mutual help. There will always be many barriers to overcome, but everyone can make progress if the proper steps are taken and assistance is provided. To create lasting change it is necessary to move and truly understand. For this reason it is mandatory to pass through the streets of education, health, media and political participation, economic empowerment, so as to eliminate violence (psychological and physical) against women and girls. These concerns must be addressed immediately, as well as new goals pertaining to climate justice and the unknown frontiers of the potential of digital technology. Understanding what works to do more of this more quickly is one of the finest methods to promote gender equality. We want to thank all those who also this year, on this occasion, have shared their stories and experiences with us. They have shared the challenges and goals of their lives and careers.
Their stories are very important since they offer an opportunity to reflect on how obstacles and unforeseen events are not necessarily sabotaging elements of one’s dreams or the goal that one has set for oneself. Their voices are encouragement to take action. Their stories offer hope and inspiration and can energise, motivational stimulants to move and accelerate action.
