Statement by the Director-General, Ms Jan Beagle
8 March 2026
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day: Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls captures both the progress that has been made and the work that remains. It reminds us that equality must move beyond aspiration to reality, through laws that protect rights, justice systems that uphold them, and concrete action that ensures every woman and girl can benefit.
The International Development Law Organization believes that the rule of law is fundamental to achieving this vision. When women and girls enjoy equal rights under the law and can access justice without barriers, they gain the power to shape their own futures and contribute fully to their communities and economies.
Today, women still enjoy only 64 per cent of the legal rights afforded to men.
Legal equality is transformative. It allows women to own property, inherit assets, start and grow businesses, access education, and employment, and live free from violence and discrimination. It strengthens families, supports economic growth, and builds more inclusive and resilient societies.
IDLO has worked for over four decades, with governments, civil society, and communities across diverse contexts to promote fair laws and policies, strengthen effective institutions, support judiciaries, and advance accountability as preconditions for achieving equality and empowering women and girls.
Insights from our experience are contained in our new report, Equality in Law for Women and Girls: Eliminating Discriminatory Laws and Strengthening Legal Frameworks, which identifies critical areas, from nationality and family law to economic rights and digital spaces, where legal discrimination persists.
But laws on paper are only the start.
Justice must be accessible in practice. Women and girls must be able to claim their rights through institutions that are fair, responsive, and accountable. Too often, barriers such as cost, distance, discrimination, or lack of legal awareness stand in the way. Removing those barriers is essential if rights are to translate into real opportunities.
IDLO has seen firsthand that empowering women through the rule of law creates lasting change. Women who can claim their rights build stronger communities, more dynamic economies, and more accountable institutions.
This International Women’s Day, let us recommit to advancing Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls, not only as a principle, but as a practical pathway toward sustainable development and shared prosperity.
Together, we can build societies where the rights of women and girls are protected, their voices are heard, and their potential is fully realized.