On the occasion of the 2014 International Women’s Day, International IDEA joins the rest of the world in awareness raising and celebrating women with the theme Empowering change and action. For International IDEA this presents an opportunity to salute all women across the world for defending the rights of women in all spheres of life and the implementation of empowering change and actions. Though yet again we celebrate women of the world in the context of unmet Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - and in particular MDG 3 on gender equality and the empowerment of women.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme – Equality for Women is Progress for All – states a simple truth.  No country will reach its full potential if its female citizens do not enjoy full equality.  As the 2015 end date of the Millennium Development Goals nears, and as discussion on the next global development agenda intensifies, there is strong momentum for achieving development with equity, including by eradicating gender inequality and empowering women and girls.

A one point five percentage point (1.5) increase in 2013 of the global average of women members of parliament (MPs) marks a significant and encouraging trend that could lead to gender parity within 20 years if fully capitalized upon, says the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).