Media Advisory: International Women’s Day, 8 March

Media Contacts

Oisika Chakrabarti, +1 646 781-4522, oisika.chakrabarti[at]unwomen.org
Maria Sanchez, +1 646 781-4507, maria.sanchez[at]unwomen.org

International Women’s Day will be commemorated globally on 8 March, with events organized by UN Women in more than 50 countries around the globe, to galvanize attention on gender equality and women’s rights issues. This year’s theme will focus on “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030”.

Members of the media are invited to the following events in New York:

WHAT: Press briefing by UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri at the UN Noon Briefing

WHEN: Tuesday, 7 March, 12 p.m.

WHERE: Room S-0237, UN Secretariat, New York.

The event will be webcast live at www.unwomen.org; and http://webtv.un.org/

UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri will brief the press on the eve of International Women’s Day on the theme of this year’s celebration. The briefing will also be an opportunity to discuss the highlights of the upcoming 61st Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW61), to be held from 13-24 March in New York. The session will focus on “Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Changing World of Work”, with discussions ranging from the gender pay gap to unpaid care work; the challenges for women in the informal economy and the opportunities created by the new technologies.

WHAT: UN International Women’s Day commemoration with UN officials, gender experts and activists, private sector and celebrities

WHEN: Wednesday, 8 March, from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.

WHERE: Trusteeship Council Chamber, UN Secretariat, New York. Event will be webcast live at www.unwomen.org; and http://webtv.un.org/

Along with a host of events across the globe, the UN Observance of International Women’s Day 2017 will focus on the theme  of “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030”, with diverse voices including  António Guterres, UN Secretary-General; Peter Thomson, President of the 71^st Session of the General Assembly; Lana Nusseibeh, President of the UN Women Executive Board;  Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director; Casar Jacobson, Disability activist and Youth Champion, and representatives from Member States. 

American award-winning actor Anne Hathaway will make her first public appearance as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador. Hathaway’s keynote address will spotlight the benefits and challenges of implementing paid parental leave policies that apply to both mothers and fathers.  A panel discussion with representatives from industries driving change (including Linkedin and Airbnb) will take place. [flyer with programme]  Related link: Media Advisory: UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Anne Hathaway shines spotlight on parental leave

During the International Women’s Day event, UN Women’s HeForShe initiative will also unveil its new effort, the Thematic Champions, created to spur concrete progress on a designated focus area, with the aim of achieving gender equality at the global level.  

The UN commemoration event is open to the media, but space is limited. Please RSVP by Monday, 6 March, 3 p.m., to Sooyeon.kim[at]unwomen.org

WHAT: HeForShe Arts Week Launch 

WHEN: Wednesday, 8 March, from 8.30 –  9.30 a.m. 

WHERE: Lincoln Centre, New York. 

Starting the same day, the UN Women HeForShe Arts Week will be celebrated across eight cities from Sao Paolo to Bangkok to raise funds for gender equality through the arts. Bjarni Benediktsson, Prime Minister of Iceland and HeForShe IMPACT Champion, along with Chirlane McCray, First Lady of New York City, Édgar Ramírez, celebrated Actor and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director, amongst others will launch the New York City Arts Week. 

For a week, more than 60 partner institutions in New York City, from the MET museum to the Gotham Comedy Club, will highlight efforts towards gender equality and donate a percentage of proceeds. Media interested to attend the HeForShe Arts Week launch in New York should RSVP to: [ Click to reveal ], Ph: 7185014324. Photos from the events will be available at: https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/heforshe/

Coinciding with the launch, New York City’s Empire State Building will be lit up in the HeForShe magenta colour on 8 March. More information at http://www.heforsheartsweek.org/

For media interested to attend the press conference on 7 March and/or the International Women’s Day observance, UN press accreditation is required. More information at: www.un.org/media/accreditation

Join the conversation: Follow @UN_Women on Twitter and share your messages using the hashtag #WomensDay