What | When and where | How
Programme | Background | Contact for support
Gender Links is joining the rest of the world to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD) to press forward for full recognition of women’s rights. The IWD 2018 campaign theme is #PressforProgress. This year’s theme calls for collective action to press for gender parity, revival of advocacy and activism. At our door step in Johannesburg, there are two international conferences that have happened (#WomanUp2018 and #SheDecides) on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Gender Links will host a webinar through Zoom and over its Community of Practice to discuss IWD 2018 and progress on women’s rights, featuring the voices of young women.
Date: 08 March 2018
Time (SA time): 12noon to 2 pm South Africa time: virtually, see login instructions
Where – Virtual webinar (see how section), or join us at out GL offices for the webinar.
GL office locations for webinar on International Women’s Day – 8 March 2018
| Country office | Address |
| Botswana | Plot 1277, Clover House, Office 4, Old Lobatse Road, Gaborone |
| Lesotho | Gender Links Lesotho,LNDC Kingsway Mall,Block C, 4th floor, Room 421 Development House |
| Madagascar | Lot C 142 B Andranomena, Antananarivo -101 |
| Mauritius | Corperative Road, Melrose, Moka |
| Mozambique | Av. Ahmed Sekou Touré, 3025, Maputo, Moçambique |
| South Africa | GL Cottages, 30 Gill Street, Observatory |
| Zimbabwe | Nicoz Diamond Building, 30 Samora Machel Avenue, 6th Floor, Harare, Zimbabwe |
To join the Zoom Webinar:
Please sign up as guided in instructions here:
- Download Zoom as guided by these detailed instructions here OR watch this video on downloading zoom.
- On the 8 March 2018, please join the ZOOM meeting by clicking here
To login as a member of the forum:
- To login and create a profile follow the instructions here.
The programme will comprise young women across Southern Africa speaking out on how they see the #MeToo, #TimesUp #PressforProgress and #TimesNow translating into real action in their lifetime.
Background
International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Run annually on March 8, the day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. IWD provides an important moment to showcase commitment to women’s equality, launch new initiatives and action, celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness, and highlight gender parity gains.
The private sector industry, governments, educational institutions, community groups, professional associations, women’s networks, charities and non-profit bodies, the media all celebrate IWD.
Collectively every person and all groups can make a difference within their sphere of influence by taking concrete action to help drive gender parity. From small powerful grassroots gatherings to largescale conference and event audiences – International Women’s Day is celebrated everywhere. It’s a big day for inspiration and change.
This year’s #PressforProgress theme follows the 2017 successful theme of #BeBoldforChange.
What’s new in 2018
With the World Economic Forum’s 2017 Global Gender Gap Report findings telling us that gender parity is over 200 years away – there has never been a more important time to keep motivated and #PressforProgress. With global activism for women’s equality fueled by movements like #MeToo, #TimesUp and more – there is a strong global momentum striving for gender parity.
And while we know that gender parity won’t happen overnight, the good news is that across the world women are making positive gains day by day. Plus, there’s indeed a very strong and growing global movement of advocacy, activism and support.
So we can’t be complacent. Now, more than ever, there’s a strong call-to-action to press forward and progress gender parity. A strong call to #PressforProgress. A strong call to motivate and unite friends, colleagues and whole communities to think, act and be gender inclusive.
International Women’s Day is not country, group or organisation specific. The day belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. So together, let’s all be tenacious in accelerating gender parity. Collectively, let’s all Press for Progress.
The UN Women official theme is Time is Now: Rural and Urban Activists Transforming Women’s Lives. The main hashtags include #IWD2018, #TimeIsNow. For more information on the UN Women social media package click here.
For technical support in joining the webinar, contact Thandokuhle Dlamini on e-mail – commsofficer@genderlinks.org.za or on phone +27 72 3121155.
