UN Resident Coordinator for Micronesia Tapan Mishra - International Women's Day 2025 Speech

For over 100 years, International Women’s Day has celebrated the achievements of women and called for action toward gender equality. This year is particularly significant as we mark the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, a landmark global commitment to women’s empowerment. 

This year’s theme, “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”, calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind. Central to this vision is empowering the next generation—youth, particularly young women and adolescent girls—as catalysts for lasting change. 

In the Pacific, we have seen strong regional commitments—from the Pacific Leaders’ Gender Equality Declaration to the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy—but we must ensure these commitments translate into real change. 

Women’s leadership is crucial to achieving sustainable development, yet their representation in Micronesian parliaments remains low, ranging from 9% in Kiribati to 19% in Palau. Barriers include cultural norms, financial constraints, and restrictive policies. Governments, civil society, and the UN must work together to implement policies that support women’s leadership and boost representation. 

Women are at the frontlines of climate change, yet they lack access to decision-making and climate financing. From rising sea levels to extreme weather, the climate crisis threatens their livelihoods. Investing in women-led solutions is investing in a resilient, sustainable future. 

Women face economic inequalities and a double burden—working for wages while also performing unpaid care work at home. This work sustains our families and economies but remains undervalued. We need affordable childcare, parental leave, and social protection to support women and create more equitable societies. 

No one should live in fear. Yet, gender-based violence remains a crisis in the Pacific. Survivors face stigma, weak legal protections, and lack of support. Ending violence requires stronger laws, survivor-centered services, and collective action from governments, communities, and institutions. 

Equality is not just a goal—it is an urgent necessity. Micronesia has long been guided by traditions of unity and solidarity—values that must now drive real progress for women’s rights and equality for all. 

Together, let’s turn commitments into action. 

Happy International Women’s Day!