The 2022 International Women's Day is themed: « Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow ».

The year 2022 is pivotal for achieving gender equality in the context of climate change, and environmental and disaster risk reduction, which are some of the greatest global challenges of the twenty-first century. Without gender equality today, a sustainable future, and an equal future, remains beyond our reach.

This year’s International Women's Day observance is in recognition and celebration of the women and girls who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation and response, and to honour their leadership and contribution towards a sustainable future.

Historical background

In 1945, the Charter of the United Nations became the first international agreement to affirm the principle of equality between women and men. The UN celebrated its first official International Women's Day on 8 March during International Women’s Year in 1975. Two years later, in December 1977, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions.

International Women’s Day first emerged from the activities of labor movements at the turn of the twentieth century across North America and Europe. The first National Woman's Day was observed in the United States on February 28 1909, which the Socialist Party of America dedicated in honor of the 1908 garment workers' strike in New York where women protested against harsh working conditions. In 1917, women in Russia chose to protest and strike under the slogan "Bread and Peace" on the last Sunday in February (which fell on 8 March on the Gregorian calendar). Their movement ultimately led to the enactment of women’s suffrage in Russia.

International Women's Day is an occasion to celebrate the progress made towards achieving gender equality and women's empowerment but also to critically reflect on those accomplishments and strive for a greater momentum towards gender equality worldwide. It is a day to recognize the extraordinary acts of women and to stand together, as a united force, to advance gender equality around the world.

Women and climate change

Across societies the impacts of climate change affect women and men differently. Women are often responsible for gathering and producing food, collecting water and sourcing fuel for heating and cooking. With climate change, these tasks are becoming more difficult.

Extreme weather events such as droughts and floods have a greater impact on the poor and most vulnerable – 70% of the world’s poor are women.

Despite women being disproportionately affected by climate change, they play a crucial role in climate change adaptation and mitigation. Women have the knowledge and understanding of what is needed to adapt to changing environmental conditions and to come up with practical solutions. But they are still a largely untapped resource. Restricted land rights, lack of access to financial resources, training and technology, and limited access to political decision-making spheres often prevent them from playing a full role in tackling climate change and other environmental challenges. Unleashing the knowledge and capability of women represents an important opportunity to craft effective climate change solutions for the benefit of all.

Mass Media and climate challenges

Climate Change and Mass Media Media can focus on factors that cause environmental problems as well as adverse impact on people. The environmental problems, which threaten the present day existence as well as the future of humanity, are brought to peoples notice by the media.

Some of these issues are really quiet alarming and need to be focused upon, so that people can be made aware of their intensity. Straight reports, discussions, photo features and articles by experts help in informing the people about different aspects of climate change issue. The layman may not be able to assess the impact of many of the environmental problems persisting around them. The effect of the depletion of ozone layer and its long term effect on global warming, poses threat of melting ice caps in the polar region. The inducing rise in sea level and extinction of all species of living beings on earth cannot be comprehended in full measure by everybody. If media attempts to educate the masses on such vital issues, at least, the intelligent and right-thinking people will become aware about the need to take the precautionary measures and they get sensitized towards the natural resource conservation and protection.