Campaign

International Women's Day 2025

A group of women in a farm in Sri Lanka John Appleby/IWMI
When

 The theme for 2025 International Women's Day is ‘For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment. This year’s theme calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all where no one is left behind. Central to this vision is empowering the next generation—youth, particularly young women and adolescent girls—as catalysts for lasting change.

2025 marks the start of the final five years in the push of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs. Without accelerated progress, gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls—seems out of reach by 2030.  

2025 is also a pivotal moment as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This document is the most progressive and widely endorsed blueprint for women’s and girls’ rights worldwide that transformed the women’s rights agenda in terms of legal protection, access to services, youth engagement, and change in social norms, stereotypes and ideas stuck in the past. 

On the occasion of International Women's Day 2025, we recognize the key role women play in food systems as producers, workers, processors, distributors, traders and consumers.  Evidence also shows that gender inequalities continue to limit their access to land, finance, markets, and decision-making power.  When women farmers access new technology such as new varieties or new breed of cows, high-quality inputs, household incomes rise, benefiting entire communities. Investing in women’s empowerment, rights and equality  is a pathway to a sustainable and resilient agrifood systems future.  

Empowering women towards sustainable and equitable food systems

On 7 March, 2025,  CGIAR Gender Equality and Inclusion Accelerator and African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) are convening an event together with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and CIFOR-ICRAF to mark the International Women's Day 2025.  The event will be held on  from 9.30-11.00 am and streamed via YouTube channel. 

Gender in Food, Land and Water Systems Conference

The 2025 biennial CGIAR gender research conference will be held from 7-9 October 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa. The theme for the conference is 'Accelerating equality in food, land, and water systems: Driving solutions through evidence and learning'

Bringing together global researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and civil society, the conference aims to uncover innovative solutions, share evidence-based practices, and foster collaboration to drive meaningful change. Through insightful discussions and interactive sessions, we’ll tackle the structural barriers that hinder progress, explore strategies to empower women and youth, and chart a course toward inclusive, climate-resilient food systems.

Be part of this transformative event as we unite to advance gender equality, social inclusion, and sustainable development worldwide.

Submit your abstracts by 11 April 2025 and take advantage of the early bird registration by  30 May 2025 via the conference web page

Harvesting Hope: Empowering Farmers to thrive in Kenya Semi-Arid Lands

Inequalities in agri-food systems in sub-Saharan Africa stem from unequal decision-making power, limited access to resources, and land ownership disparities. Climate change exacerbates these inequalities, disproportionately affecting women. Existing policies and governance systems have not adequately addressed these challenges. Socio-technical innovation bundles (STIBs) offer a potential solution by addressing climate change while challenging sociocultural norms perpetuating inequalities. The CGIAR Gender Equality Initiative (HER+) collaborated with the CGIAR Diversification in East and Southern Africa to enhance climate resilience and women's empowerment in Kenya through the STIBs approach. Adopting farmer-preferred STIBs, such as decision-making, gender and nutrition, certified seeds, climate-smart practices like intercropping, extension services, and financial access, led to higher productivity, resilience, and empowerment. Key outcomes included: sustained crop performance despite adverse climate conditions, increased household decision-making collaboration due to women’s greater farming knowledge and financial contributions, and improved food security through diversified diets and food accessibility. These results highlight progress toward equitable and resilient agri-food systems.

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