Invest in women: UN Women launches the International Women's Day Campaign

UN Women has launched the Campaign dedicated to International Women's Day. The event, themed "Invest in women: Stories of empowerment" organized by UN Women with financial support from the European Union and Sweden, reiterated the importance of investing in women as a human rights imperative and a cornerstone for building inclusive societies.

The event featured a storytelling format, which was organized into two sessions focused on women's stories and interventions, respectively. During the sessions, strong and determined women who have benefited from empowerment programmes shared their experiences, along with representatives of central and local authorities, civil society organizations, the private sector, international organizations and UN agencies. Together, the participants shared their visions on how to increase investments in women to ensure a prosperous and equitable society.

Women told stories of empowerment, highlighting the positive impact of these programmes and explaining why they believe women's progress benefits the whole society. Each story called for more investment in a specific area, followed by dialogues with representatives from institutions in that field.

The event kicked off with a series of interventions from representatives of state authorities and the international community. In her welcome speech, Larisa Voloh, a Member of Moldova’s Parliament and Chair of the Committee on Public Administration and Regional Development, highlighted how state authorities can invest in women. "Women, just like men, have something to contribute to the development of our society. The non-involvement of more than half of Moldova's population in decision-making processes only means an imbalance of approach and unilateral solutions to the most important problems of society,” she said. “What does investing in women mean for us in governance? It means increasing economic opportunities by reducing barriers, creating an integrated national model of support for women's professional development, strengthening national infrastructure to reduce obstacles women face today and contributing to the implementation of priority gender equality policies. Today's investments will secure tomorrow's future."

Similarly, Rodica Crudu, State Secretary of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, discussed the benefits that women and men’s equal decision-making has for democracy. "The participation of more women in the decision-making process has many positive effects on society, which can improve the living standards of both women and men,” she said. “It can help us achieve inclusive governance and have positive developments in various sectors such as education, health, infrastructure and the reduction of political corruption. Women active in Moldova’s social and political life demonstrate that this is possible. Behind every woman is a story, a struggle, but also extraordinary potential. Today, we commit to not only recounting these stories but also celebrating them, supporting them. Let's unite our efforts and invest in their empowerment, offering them equal chances and support."

Present at the event, H.E. Jānis Mažeiks, the Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova, spoke about the importance of investing in women, as well as the EU and UN Women’s joint efforts to promote gender equality. "By investing in women's stories and experiences, we contribute to a broader vision of their empowerment and resilience,” he said. “The commitment to gender equality is a joint action, with the European Union standing with the citizens of Moldova and actively supporting initiatives that generate positive changes. From 2020 to 2023, the EU invested 5 million euros in the EVA project, transforming 24 communities in Cahul and Ungheni into champions of gender equality promotion. Notable achievements include the launch of the Integrated Regional Service for Victims of Sexual Violence in Ungheni and the establishment of 16 clubs, which guided 250 women towards vocations and income-generating activities. Furthermore, 24 local public authorities have committed to respecting gender equality principles by signing the European Charter."

In continuation of these efforts, the European Union is supporting a new project launched by UN Women called “EVOLVE4GE: Accelerating gender equality by ensuring women's empowerment through economic opportunities, combating violence and gender-sensitive governance.” Implemented until September 2027, the project will seek to increase opportunities for women and girls, ensure their rights and eliminate and prevent gender-based violence with support from Moldova’s media institutions.

H.E. Katarina Fried, the Swedish Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova, argued for the need to invest in gender equality, calling it the right and smart approach. “It's right to demonstrate that the entire world's population, half of whom are women and girls, have equal opportunities to live their lives, build their futures and contribute to society's development, utilizing their full potential and capabilities,” she said. “Achieving gender equality enriches our societies, making them happier and healthier for all – women and girls, men and boys. The complex and challenging part is making people realize this, act accordingly and invest."

Laura Hruby, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States Embassy in Chișinău, spoke about the necessity of including women in all processes, including decision-making, reaffirming the United States government's support for empowering women in Moldova. “We will not be able to solve the challenges of our time without fully empowering and investing in women,” she said. “This is why the United States continues to lift women up in key sectors, from the rapidly growing digital economy to a growing tourism industry that employs over 23,000 people, mostly women and youth and even in law enforcement – because women belong at every table where decisions are made.”

Simon Springett, the UN Moldova Resident Coordinator, reiterated the importance of investments that promote women's rights. "In Moldova, 42 per cent of working-age women are employed compared to 51 per cent of men,” he explained. “Moreover, women in Moldova are overrepresented in sectors such as health, education and public administration, where salary levels are usually lower, and women are less involved in areas with higher income potential, such as technology and finance. Recognizing women's rights as an essential area requiring investment is crucial for developing innovative solutions that offer women the opportunity to exercise their rights, escape the cycle of poverty and truly thrive. Investments in women are a foundation for building inclusive societies. Progress towards gender equality benefits the entire society."

The event's host, Dominika Stojanoska, UN Women Moldova’s Country Representative, emphasized the campaign’s collective message. "Investing in women is both an economic priority and an important aspect of human rights because global economic and financial systems are complicit in perpetuating gender inequality,” she said. “To accelerate progress towards achieving gender equality and ending poverty among women, we must invest in policies and programmes that address gender inequalities and encourage women's financial independence and leadership."

To create an interactive atmosphere, the event hosted a panel called #InvestInWomen, where participants were invited to share their thoughts or messages about the necessity of investing in women and ways to enhance it.

In a world facing multiple crises that put immense pressure on communities, achieving gender equality is more important than ever. Ensuring women's and girls' rights in all aspects of life is the only way to ensure prosperous and equitable economies and a healthy planet for future generations. Women's progress benefits us all.

1. EVA Project - Strengthened Gender Action in Cahul and Ungheni districts, financed by European Union and implemented by UN Women Moldova and UNICEF.