Youth Service Month 2023: April 14 – May 14
Youth Service Month 2024: April 12 – May 12
Global Youth Service Day is the largest youth service and civic action event in the world and the only one that celebrates and builds the capacity of all youth ages 5-25 to help our communities and democracy thrive by working together for the common good.
Global Youth Service Day is powered by Youth Service America with support from:
The 2023 National Women’s History Theme
“Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories”
The National Women’s History Alliance, which spearheaded the movement for March being declared National Women’s History Month, has announced the women’s history theme for 2023, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.”
Throughout 2023, the NWHA will encourage recognition of women, past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling including print, radio, TV, stage, screen, blogs, podcasts, and more. The timely theme honors women in every community who have devoted their lives and talents to producing art, pursuing truth, and reflecting the human condition decade after decade.
From the earliest storytellers through pioneering journalists, our experiences have been captured by a wide variety of artists and teachers. These include authors, songwriters, scholars, playwrights, performers, and grandmothers throughout time. Women have long been instrumental in passing on our heritage in word and in print to communicate the lessons of those who came before us. Women’s stories, and the larger human story, expand our understanding and strengthen our connections with each other.
As in previous years, the Alliance, which is centered in Santa Rosa, California, will encourage local communities throughout the country to use the year’s theme to guide their own celebrations. The NWHA will popularize national efforts through on-line celebrations, a special magazine and thematic products that recognize and honor these brave, accomplished and influential women who told – and continue to tell – our stories. Today and over the years ahead, their dedication and shared desire to give voice to the voiceless are critical to keeping us informed, entertained and aware.
In 2022, we commemorate the 10th anniversary of the International Day of the Girl (IDG). In these last 10 years, there has been increased attention on issues that matter to girls amongst governments, policymakers and the general public, and more opportunities for girls to have their voices heard on the global stage. Yet, investments in girls’ rights remain limited and girls continue to confront a myriad of challenges to fulfilling their potential; made worse by concurrent crises of climate change, COVID-19 and humanitarian conflict. Girls around the world continue to face unprecedented challenges to their education, their physical and mental wellness, and the protections needed for a life without violence. COVID-19 has worsened existing burdens on girls around the world and worn away important gains made over the last decade.
With adversity, however, comes resourcefulness, creativity, tenacity, and resilience. The world's 600 million adolescent girls have shown time and time again that given the skills and the opportunities, they can be the changemakers driving progress in their communities, building back stronger for all, including women, boys and men.
Girls are ready for a decade of acceleration forward. It is time for us all to stand accountable – with and for girls – and to invest in a future that believes in their agency, leadership and potential.
Ways to get involved
The theme for this year’s observance is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”.
The year 2022 is pivotal for achieving gender equality in the context of climate change, and environmental and disaster risk reduction, which are some of the greatest global challenges of the twenty-first century. Without gender equality today, a sustainable future, and an equal future, remains beyond our reach.
This year’s IWD observance is in recognition and celebration of the women and girls who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation and response, and to honour their leadership and contribution towards a sustainable future.
Girls are leaders. Girls are change-makers. Girls are driving good and growth around the world. They are a fundamental source of transformational change for gender equality, and technology is a crucial tool to support their work, activism and leadership.
This October 11 UN Women is joining other UN agencies, civil society, and girls around the world to celebrate International Day of the Girl Child under the theme "Digital generation. Our generation.” Together, we’re calling for equal access to the internet and digital devices for girls’ and targeted investments to facilitate opportunities for girls’ to safely and meaningfully access, use, lead and design technology.
Digital inclusion and literacy open new avenues to learning, earning and leading for girls, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the pandemic has also deepened the gender divide around connectivity and online safety, with girls facing economic and social barriers to internet and device access.
Earlier this year, the Generation Equality Forum set technology and innovation as a priority in global conversations on gender equality. Leaders from civil society, governments, the private sector and youth movements made commitments to build more inclusive digital societies through providing equitable opportunities to girls, investing in feminist technology and putting girls and young women at the centre of designing and learning solutions for the digital world.
On International Day of the Girl Child, 11 October, amplify the voices and rights of girls everywhere.
The theme for this year, “My voice, our equal future”, reimagines a better world inspired and led by adolescent girls, as part of the global Generation Equality movement.
Girls worldwide are demanding a life free from gender-based violence, access to health, skills, recognition and investment as leaders of social change.
Watch this space for inspiring stories from girls to know, live conversations, and updates from our partners.
