On 8th March 2025, we will be celebrating International Women’s Day. The day commemorates the long and rich history of the women’s rights movement and calls for action to further the initiative, bringing liberation and empowerment to women across the world. The day honors women’s achievements and advocates for gender equality. March is also Women’s History Month, and offers an opportunity to reflect on the progress made thus far and the ongoing journey towards inclusivity.
International Women’s Day themes are a way to bring the world together in one united mission for women’s empowerment each year. Each year, it introduces a theme to drive meaningful conversations and inspire action. The theme for 2025, “Accelerate Action,” emphasizes the urgency of advancing gender equality.
Why Women’s Day is Celebrated
IWD celebrations every year are a powerful reminder that while progress has been made, achieving true gender equality requires bold strategies and decisive action. Each year, an International Women’s Day theme is declared, and the IWD theme represents what that year’s focus will be. This year’s women’s day theme, Accelerate Action, emphasizes the need for businesses, policymakers, and communities to take tangible steps toward empowering women in the workforce. In India, where women’s labor force participation is rising but still faces systemic barriers, women’s day 2025 is an opportunity to acknowledge that it’s time to move beyond discussions and drive real change.
Theme for International Women’s Day 2025: Accelerate Action
The International Women’s Day theme Accelerate Action calls for urgent efforts to remove gender disparities in economic opportunities, leadership roles, and workplace safety. Women continue to face challenges such as the gender pay gap, limited access to financial resources, and the burden of unpaid labor. According to the World Economic Forum, at the current pace, achieving full gender parity could take till the year 2158, underscoring the critical need to expedite efforts in eliminating systemic barriers and biases that hinder women’s progress.
Women’s progress and equal participation is hindered by a number of challenges, ranging from social biases to infrastructural gaps. Addressing these issues can be a crucial driver of economic growth. Studies show that increasing women’s workforce participation could add trillions to India’s GDP. The 8th March Women’s Day theme this year is a call to action for individuals and organizations to step up the action being taken in support of women.
Businesses play a pivotal role in shaping an inclusive future by investing in policies that promote equal pay, leadership development, and family-friendly workplace policies. Companies that prioritize diversity and gender equity not only foster innovation but also achieve higher profitability and employee satisfaction.
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How Kinara Capital Accelerates Action with HerVikas
At Kinara Capital, we believe financial independence is a key enabler of women’s empowerment. Annual women’s day themes aside, we consistently strive to support women in the workforce through a variety of initiatives. The most significant of these is our HerVikas program, which is designed to provide women entrepreneurs with easy access to collateral-free business loans, allowing them to expand their enterprises and create jobs. By removing traditional financial barriers, we are directly contributing to gender parity in entrepreneurship.
Through HerVikas, we’ve seen firsthand how access to capital transforms women-led businesses. HerVikas provides collateral-free business loan for women with the following benefits:
- 1% Interest Rate Discount
- 50% Lower Processing Fees
- 60-Day Repayment Holiday
- Available to newly registered MSMEs (1-month of registration)
With lower interest rates, a seamless digital application process, and dedicated support, women entrepreneurs can scale their operations without the usual financial roadblocks. The impact extends beyond individual businesses—when women succeed, entire communities benefit from increased economic activity and job creation.
Conclusion
International Women’s Day 2025 is a call to action for businesses to take concrete steps in advancing gender equality. From workplace policies to financial inclusion initiatives, every effort counts. At Kinara Capital, we remain committed to accelerating action through initiatives like HerVikas, ensuring that women entrepreneurs have the resources they need to thrive.
As we celebrate this day and contemplate the themes for women’s day, let’s move beyond words and commit to bold strategies that create lasting change. Gender equality is much more than an ideal in this day and age. It’s an economic necessity that can unlock a massive amount of potential to move the nation and the world economy forward in a meaningful way. Happy International Women’s Day!
FAQ
1. What is the main theme of International Women’s Day 2025?
The theme for International Women’s Day 2025 is Accelerate Action, which is a call to action for businesses, governments, and individuals to take proactive steps toward gender equality.
2. How can businesses benefit from promoting gender equality?
Companies that promote gender equality experience higher profitability, increased employee engagement, and stronger innovation. Diverse teams contribute to better decision-making and a more inclusive workplace culture.
3. What steps can small businesses take to support women in the workplace?
Small businesses can create more jobs for women, ensure equal pay, and create safe workplace environments to support women employees.
4. How does inclusive hiring impact company culture?
Inclusive hiring fosters a diverse workforce, improves employee morale, and enhances creativity by bringing in different perspectives. It also helps companies attract and retain top talent, with gender and socio-economic barriers being removed.
5. What are effective ways to support women returning to the workforce?
Businesses can offer return-to-work programs, flexible work arrangements, childcare support, and upskilling opportunities to help women transition back into the workforce after career breaks.
6. How can companies measure progress in gender equality initiatives?
Companies can track progress by analyzing gender pay gaps, monitoring promotions of women employees, gathering employee feedback, and setting measurable diversity and inclusion goals.
7. What role do male employees play in promoting gender parity?
Male employees play a critical role in fostering an inclusive workplace by advocating for equal opportunities, challenging biases, and supporting women in leadership roles.
How can businesses address unconscious bias in the workplace?
8. How can businesses address unconscious bias in the workplace?
Businesses can conduct bias training, implement fair recruitment practices, encourage open discussions, and introduce sensitization programs and training to reduce unconscious bias.
9. What are some examples of successful women-led projects in 2025?
Women-led projects in 2025 span various industries, from tech startups driving AI innovation and financial services companies democratizing access to MSMEs revolutionizing sustainable manufacturing. Kinara Capital is led by a women-majority management team, and has shown remarkable success.
10. How can organizations celebrate International Women’s Day meaningfully?
Organizations can mark the day by celebrating their women employees through tokens and awards, hosting panel discussions, recognizing women leaders, implementing new gender equity policies, and supporting women-owned businesses.
