Joint UN Statement for International Women’s Day 2025

This year’s International Women’s Day theme “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment” recognizes and upholds the rights of women and girls in all their diversity. It aligns with key frameworks such as the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Sustainable Development Goals (particularly Goal 5), and the UN system-wide Gender Equality Acceleration Plan.

Despite gains since the Beijing Platform for Action was adopted in 1995, globally, one in 10 women still live in poverty; over 2.7 billion women are legally restricted from having the same choice of jobs as men; nearly 60 percent of women’s employment is in the informal economy, and in low-income countries, it is more than 90 percent; around 257 million women who want to avoid pregnancy are not using safe, modern methods of contraception; and, one woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes by their intimate partner or family member. 

Furthermore, nearly half of the world’s 281 million international migrants are women and a shocking 71 percent of women and girls are victims of human trafficking worldwide.

In the Pacific, we have seen strong commitments made at the regional level through the Pacific Leaders’ Gender Equality Declaration, the Pacific Platform for Action for Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights, and the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy.

While there have been decades of progress to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights, some Pacific countries have seen an increase in the Adolescent Birth Rate or teenage pregnancy and child marriage, particularly of girls—with adverse effects on the health, education and well-being that span their life course. Furthermore, Pacific Island Countries have the lowest levels of women’s political representation in the world - at just 5.8 percent.

Gender inequality persists across our region - despite many countries being matrilineal - with disparities in access to employment, political and social participation, and in access to education, social protection and health.

Marginalized women and girls, including those from indigenous communities, women with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ individuals, face unique challenges that must be recognized and addressed with sensitivity and urgency. Climate change and natural disasters increase risks and inequalities, particularly if women and girls in all their diversity, are not integral to all phases of humanitarian preparedness and response. 

Our Pacific solutions must be inclusive, holistic, and reflective of the diverse experiences of women and girls in our region.

Violence against women and girls in the Pacific is among the highest in the world—about twice the global average. Between 75 and 90 percent of all market vendors in the Pacific are women and yet women are often excluded from market governance and decision-making.

And so, while we have reason to celebrate today, we know we have a lot of work to do.

Gender equality is key to advancing progress in human rights, climate action, and sustainable development, which is the focus of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for the Pacific.

The Gender Equality Acceleration Plan’s emphasis on empowering women as leaders and amplifying their voices aligns with this regional context. International Women’s Day 2025 provides a platform to celebrate these achievements while mobilizing collective action to address the structural barriers that persist. 

Therefore, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to advancing gender equality and women's empowerment across the Pacific. 

We call upon governments, civil society, the private sector, and communities to commit to actionable steps that promote gender equality and empowerment. 

Let us strengthen partnerships that leverage diverse voices and expertise. 

Let us amplify the calls for justice, for equality, and for a brighter, safer and more prosperous future for women and girls everywhere.