Guterres: Equality for Women Essential for Prosperity

Ahead of International Women’s Day 2025, the United Nations urged the international community to take firm action toward making rights, equality, and empowerment a reality for women and girls everywhere. UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the importance of unlocking equal opportunities for women and girls, stating, “When women and girls can rise, we all thrive.”

However, Guterres pointed out that instead of advancing equal rights, there has been a rise in misogyny. He stressed that opening the doors of equal opportunity for women and girls leads to a more prosperous and peaceful society, laying the foundation for sustainable development.

Reflecting on thirty years since the groundbreaking 1995 United Nations conference in Beijing, Guterres highlighted the progress made while calling for further action. “We need action to unlock finance for countries to invest in equality, open-up opportunities for decent work, close the gender pay gap, and address care work challenges,” he added.

The UN Secretary-General also emphasized the need to strengthen laws to end violence against women and girls, increase women’s participation in decision-making—including peacebuilding efforts—and remove barriers to women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The UN’s Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact offer blueprints to guide these critical actions. “When women and girls can rise, we all thrive,” Guterres concluded.

This year, International Women’s Day 2025 will be celebrated under the theme, “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” The theme calls for collective efforts to secure equal rights, power, and opportunities for everyone, with a particular focus on empowering youth, especially young women and adolescent girls, as agents of lasting change.