Women in leadership:
Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world

Women stand at the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, as health care workers, caregivers, innovators, community organizers and as some of the most exemplary and effective national leaders in combating the pandemic. The crisis has highlighted both the centrality of their contributions and the disproportionate burdens that women carry.

This year’s theme for the International Day,"Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world", celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is also aligned with the priority theme of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, "Women in public life, equal participation in decision making",and the flagship Generation Equality campaign, which calls for women’s right to decision-making in all areas of life, equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work, an end all forms of violence against women and girls, and health-care services that respond to their needs.

Gender Equality by 2030

International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.

The world has made unprecedented advances, but no country has achieved gender equality.

Fifty years ago, we landed on the moon; in the last decade, we discovered new human ancestors and photographed a black hole for the first time.

In the meantime, legal restrictions have kept 2.7 billion women from accessing the same choice of jobs as men. Less than 25 per cent of parliamentarians were women, as of 2019. One in three women experience gender-based violence, still.

Let’s make 2021 count for women and girls everywhere.

How you can make an impact

Change isn’t just about big headline moments, legal victories and international agreements: the way we talk, think, and act every day can create a ripple effect that benefits everyone.

12 actions

Special Focus: COVID-19

Gender equality matters in COVID-19 response

The pandemic is not just a health issue. It is a profound shock to our societies and economies, and women are at the heart of care and response efforts underway. UN Women is bringing up-to-date information on how and why gender matters in the response.

Women rise for all

This initiative connects women from all sectors in recognition of front-line leadership that is winning against COVID-19 and is inspiring the action required to come out of the pandemic stronger as part of Decade of Action to reach the Sustainable Development Goals.

• Nearly 60 per cent of women around the world work in the informal economy, earning less, saving less, and at greater risk of falling into poverty.
• Women earn 23% less than men globally.
• Women occupy only 24% of parliamentary seats worldwide.
• 1 in 3 have experiences physical or sexual violence and 200 M of girls-women have suffered genital mutilation.

Why is women’s leadership not in the headlines?

The question has never been whether women can lead as capably as men. Women have always led, especially when the times are hard, and their communities are in need. The question is: why is women’s leadership invisible?

• Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals
• UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
• UN Women 
• International Labour Organization (ILO)

• Policy Brief: The Impact of COVID-19 on Women
• Gender equality in the 2030 agenda
• UN Women Library

• Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
• Girl Child
• Elimination of Violence against Women
• Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation