International Women's Day 2016

On International Women’s Day 2016, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reaffirms its unwavering commitment to gender equality and empowerment for the hundreds of millions of women and girls across the globe who have left their homes, whether by force or by choice, and often in search of a better life. Like all migrants, these women and girls demand our attention and must be at the centre of our global development agenda.

The United Nations’ official theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality”, promotes a bold vision for ensuring that gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s human rights play a central role in achieving the recently adopted 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

This agenda, formulated through 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), recognizes not only the inherent necessity of protecting the rights of women and girls, but also that protecting their rights will enhance their potential to contribute meaningfully to sustainable development.

As we strive to achieve the SDGs, it is crucial that we ensure that they apply to migrant women and girls just as much as they apply to women and girls who have remained in their home communities. Read more