IWD 2023: What you need to know

This year’s theme, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality,” highlights the role of innovative technology in promoting gender equality and meeting the health and developmental needs of women and girls.

IWD is an annual event that celebrates women’s accomplishments and advocates for equal rights. Its origins can be traced back to the early twentieth-century socialist and labor movements in the United States, particularly when women were fighting for better working conditions and the right to vote.

Globally, the growing number and use of mobile phones, as well as internet connectivity, have made it easier to access health information and services.

The adoption of digital health and other technological innovations has benefited electronic medical records, health data management, security, and effective communication among health workers, patients, and community stakeholders.
Online training, webinars, and innovative patient care tools such as telemedicine, robotics, and artificial intelligence have all improved capacity building and knowledge translation.

While IWD is an opportunity to raise awareness about human rights violations, organizers also use the day to celebrate progress and the accomplishments of individual women.