Message of the WHO Regional Director for Africa on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2015
Today, 8 March 2015, we commemorate International Women's Day. The Day presents an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women while calling for greater equality, encouraging effective action for advancing and recognizing women’s rights.
The global theme for this year’s celebration “Make It Happen” highlights the urgent need for concrete actions to achieve true gender equality for sustainable socioeconomic development. From the health perspectives, the theme calls for accelerating universal access to sexual and reproductive health services, including services to maternal and newborn health as fundamental requirements for the socioeconomic development of countries.