The Secretary of State for Equality, Elvina Sousa Carvalho, participated in the commemoration of International Women’s Day, organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) and UN Women, which took place on March 6^th, 2025, in Bangkok, Thailand. The event brought together government representatives responsible for gender equality and inclusion issues from several countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Timor-Leste, providing a moment of reflection, evaluation and renewal of commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5, on gender equality. 

 This year’s ceremony, under the theme “For all women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”, highlighted the fundamental role of young women in leading innovation to accelerate gender equality, emphasizing the transformative opportunities offered by the green and digital economy.

 In the context of the Asia-Pacific regional commemoration of International Women’s Day 2025, the themes addressed were of particular relevance to the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review. The event highlighted the potential of young women to promote sustainable and inclusive development and discussed their critical contribution as agents of change to building more equitable and resilient societies.

 The year 2025 represents a significant milestone for the global movement for gender equality, marking the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The date also marks the last five years of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the final path towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. 

During the ceremony, the ‘Ambassador for a Day’ initiative, launched in 2021 to encourage gender equality among young people aged 16 to 25, was also promoted. The program offers a unique opportunity for young people to take on the role of United Nations Ambassador or leader of a UN entity for one day, in order to promote the development of leadership skills and raise awareness about the importance of gender equality. The initiative aims to strengthen the active participation of the younger generation in defending the rights of women and girls. 

The Director General of the Secretary of State for Equality, Armando da Costa, was also part of the delegation led by the Secretary of State at the event.