International Women’s Day

The 2025 International Women’s Day theme “Accelerate Action” emphasizes the importance and urgency of accelerating efforts to eliminate systemic barriers and biases that keep them from achieving their full potential.

This year’s theme calls for increased urgency to accelerate efforts to address systemic barriers and biases that women face, aligning with the direction of the Mastercard Foundation’s gender focus. Central to this vision is enabling the next generation, particularly young women and girls, who are agents of economic change and transformation.

Through our Young Africa Works strategy, the Foundation commits to supporting young women and girls by aiming for 21 million (70 percent) of the 30 million young people to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. This bold goal is only achievable by creating pathways and accelerating access to learning and work for young African women. Higher economic participation of young women will lead to higher spending on schooling for children, better health care, etc., with important implications for much-needed progress and growth in the long run.   Through direct employment and entrepreneurship, the Foundation looks to create pathways to work for young women while addressing systemic and enabling environment challenges that hinder young women from transitioning into work and sustaining long-term employment or business opportunities.

The stories below celebrate the contributions of young women and girls in our network, including young people who have been displaced, and young people living with disabilities, as well as Foundation partners, who are catalyzing change for inclusion.

#IWD2025 #SheDrivesChange #AccelerateHerImpact