International Women’s Day 2020 key events in Asia Pacific

Marked globally on 8 March, International Women’s Day (IWD) is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.

The theme for International Women’s Day 2020 is, I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights. The theme is aligned with UN Women’s new multigenerational campaign, Generation Equality, which marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Adopted in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. The Beijing Platform for Action is recognized as the most progressive roadmap for the empowerment of women and girls, everywhere.

As the global agency for gender equality and women’s empowerment, UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is organizing and supporting a series of different activities around International Women’s Day. See some of our key events below. (For additional events and information, please follow our social media channels)

5 MARCH

#WOMEN2020 SUMMIT

SPARK! Philippines, in partnership with UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, will host the #Women2020 Summit: Women in the Next Decade in Manila, Philippines. The event will feature panel discussions with inspiring women changemakers on gender equality and women’s empowerment. Read more

8:00 -17:30 | Samsung Hall | Manila, Philippines

6 MARCH

Joint social media campaign #AMessageToHer in China

UN Women together with different UN agencies in China is launching the digital campaign #AMessageToHer, developed under the global International Women’s Day (IWD) theme: “Generation Equality”. The campaign aims to recognize and celebrate the important role and contribution of female workers in the response to COVID-19 outbreak. They are doctors, nurses, scientists, construction workers, journalists, volunteers, all demonstrating outstanding commitment and professionalism in what are exceptionally challenging circumstances. The campaign messages will be shared on Chinese social media channels Weibo and WeChat.

6-13 MARCH

RING THE BELL x WeEmpowerAsia

Over the course of two weeks in early March, stock exchanges across Asia, in partnership with the joint European Union-UN Women programme, WeEmpowerAsia, will hold a series of “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality” events in a symbolic gesture to mark International Women’s Day. Read more

• 6 March - Bursa Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur [internal event]
• 10 March - Indonesia Stock Exchange, Jakarta [postponed]
• 11 March - National Stock Exchange (NSE) of India, Mumbai
• 11 March - Philippines Stock Exchange (PSE), Manila
• 13 March - Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Mumbai
• 13 March - United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok [with Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) — to be confirmed]

8 MARCH

HEFORSHE CONCERT AND CAMPAIGN IN CAMBODIA

Cambodia will mark International Women’s Day with a Khmer pop music televised concert on PNN Channel and a digital campaign inspired in the HeForShe initiative. The event, organized by Baramey Productions in collaboration with the United Nations in Cambodia and other partners, will consist of a televised concert that will be streamed on Facebook Live, online round tables and a digital campaign. The concert, round tables and campaign will feature renowned Cambodian singers and influencers such as Laura Mam, Kmeng Khmer and Vann Da. Read more

The Heritage Walk | Siem Reap, Cambodia

UN Women x ilaX Mumbai: Em[Her]gency

To celebrate International Women's Day 2020, social Enterprise ilaX, in collaboration with UN Women India, is organizing a seminar shedding light on gender inequality and gender-based violence. The event brings together a community of young, socially driven individuals, purposeful brands and sexual violence survivors to make a difference. Inspired by TedX with a gender lens, IlaX has been successfully hosted in London and Bangkok. The theme for this edition is “Em[Her]gency”. Read more

14:00 – 17:00 | 91 Springboard BKC | Mumbai, India

HeForShe Workshop on gender equality and gender-based violence

The Sri Lanka Scout Association – Colombo District Branch, in partnership with UNFPA and UN Women, is hosting a HeForShe Workshop on gender equality and gender-based violence on occasion of International Women’s Day. The event will be attended by 60 Scouts, both boys and girls within 15 and 24 years old.

7:30 – 12:30 | UN Conference Hall | Bangkok, Thailand

9 MARCH

ASIA-PACIFIC REGIONAL COMMEMORATION OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2020

On occasion of International Women’s Day 2020, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific will organize an interactive dialogue under the global IWD theme “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights”. The dialogue will bring together young change-makers, key influencers, civil society and youth groups to exchange valuable experiences on how to strengthen advocacy efforts and youth-led movements advancing gender equality and women’s rights in the Asia-Pacific region. Read more

10:00 – 12:00 | United Nations Conference Centre | Bangkok, Thailand

Generation Equality Dialogues Myanmar

UN Women Myanmar will host the Generation Equality Dialogues, a civil society-centered series of intergenerational and intersectional talks bringing together Myanmar’s pioneers of gender equality with the next generation of diverse women’s rights activists in discussions that will also invite the audience to actively participate in this inclusive forum.

The event is supported by Women’s Voices and Leadership and the Canadian Embassy, in partnership with Colors Rainbow, Gender Equality Network, Women’s Organizations Network and Myanmar Youth Stars.

16:00 | Goethe-Institut, Yangon