From around the world, women celebrated the International Women's Day on March 8, 2007. Find out how you can keep track of the celebrations around the globe.

This year, on March 8, women across the globe commemorated International Women's Day (IWD) with protests, demonstrations, peace actions, dialogues, festivals, among others. 

The United Nations (UN) theme for IWD 2007 “Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls” makes for an important and timely call.

Media's role in ending violence against women

Raghida Dergham, in her talk at the UN celebration of IWD in New York, prompted people to share stories of violence against women through the media so as to make more people aware and accountable for these crimes.

“Tell the story. Tell it creatively, repeatedly, systematically...Tell it over and over again,” reminded Dergham.

“Challenge the acceptability by society and resignation to traditions and cultural habits that protect criminals and perpetuate the crimes. Tell the story and make it shocking so that it shames the whispered conversations and forces an outrage. Rape of girls should not be whispered and hushed away. It should become an outcry that won't go away,” she said.

Dergham is a columnist and senior diplomatic correspondent for the London-based Al Hayat, the leading independent Arabic daily.

Moving to accountability

In his message on International Women's Day, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon reiterated that “violence against women and girls continues unabated in every continent, country and culture...most societies prohibit such violence—yet the reality is that too often, it is covered up or tacitly condoned.”

In his remarks at the Inter-Agency Event on Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls, held in March 8, 2007 in New York, the Secretary-General urged everyone to work together on the following:

- Empowering women and girls through education and innovative tools such as microfinance;
- Closing the gaps between international standards and national laws, policies and practices;
- Strengthening our knowledge and understanding of all forms of violence against women;
- Building and sustaining effective strategies embracing all parts of society, coordinated nationally and locally; and
- Allocating adequate resources and funding for all these efforts. 

“We can help put in place measures of accountability that emphasize individual, community and national responsibility for ending violence against women,” said Ban Ki-Moon.

IWD 2007 celebrations elsewhere
 
Get updated on various happenings around the world on this year's International Women's Day.

Visit the following websites:
(1) International Women's Day <http://www.internationalwomensday.com/>. The site has a listing of more than 472 IWD 2007 events from 45 different countries.
(2) Inter Press Service News Agency <http://www.ipsnews.net/new_focus/womensday/>. Read IPS' compilation of news reports on women's issues across the globe.
(3) AMARC-WIN International Women's Day Broadcast <http://www.march8.amarc.org/>, organised by the Women's International Network of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC-WIN). The broadcast includes interviews, documentaries, debates, poetry, and music, among others.
(4) International Women's Tribune Centre <http://www.iwtc.org>. IWTC offers listing of women's global events and initiatives.
(5) United Nations <http://www.un.org/events/women/iwd/2007/index.html>. Find links on messages, background information, and commemoration of IWD 2007.