Women’s Days for a Culture of Peace
A Global Framework for Gender Equality & Peacebuilding
Women
Conceptual
Women’s Days for a Culture of Peace is a global citizen-led initiative that expands on the spirit of International Women’s Day
While International Women’s Day on March 8 highlights progress and calls for action, one day alone cannot address the deep and persistent challenges women face worldwide.
This initiative therefore establishes 193 days each year, one for every UN member state, to recognize both progress and obstacles in peacebuilding, gender equality, and sustainable development. By using data to map challenges and compare countries, it creates a broader framework for accountability, collaboration, and shared learning.
Although inspired by International Women’s Day, Women’s Days for a Culture of Peace is not only a celebration. It is also a platform where citizens, researchers, and institutions can contribute knowledge and solutions. It supports governments in the way NGOs often do—by providing insight, fostering cooperation, and promoting public engagement.
Importantly, the initiative includes both women and men. It recognizes that gender inequality and patriarchy affect all, and that building a more just, inclusive, and peaceful world requires joint action.
The Project: 193 Days of Action
Women’s Days for a Culture of Peace works with 193 national Women’s Days. Each UN member state is assigned a dedicated day, linked to the historic moment when women first gained the right to vote. This symbolic choice anchors the project in the principles of democracy, equality, and participation.
The framework draws inspiration from the UN Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace (UNGA Resolution A/RES/53/243, adopted in 1999). This landmark document defines a culture of peace as a set of values, attitudes, and behaviors that foster non-violence, human rights, democratic participation, and sustainable development. It also outlines concrete actions in education, equality, tolerance, communication, and political inclusion to help societies move from a culture of war to one of peace.
Within this global framework, each country’s Women’s Day highlights local realities. It showcases annual progress, addresses pressing challenges, and points to practical solutions. These days celebrate the vital contributions of women—and men—to conflict prevention, education, environmental protection, human rights, and political participation.
By connecting national experiences to a global agenda, the project builds a living map of progress and obstacles. It turns data into dialogue and celebration into action, creating year-round momentum for advancing a Culture of Peace.
Building Global Networks
Women’s Days for a Culture of Peace serves several purposes. It creates public spaces for dialogue and learning. It encourages creative action and community engagement. And it connects civil society organizations across the world.
The framework links educators, artists, cultural institutions, and policymakers. It empowers local communities while fostering international collaboration. At the same time, it builds platforms for sharing data, stories, and strategies across borders. In doing so, it strengthens the global movement for equality and peace.
From Symbolism to Action
The initiative transforms the spirit of International Women’s Day by expanding from one symbolic date to 193 days of action. This shift reframes women’s rights as a cornerstone of peace and sustainable development. It also opens new pathways for engagement, innovation, and global solidarity.
Through this citizen-driven effort, communities worldwide can turn symbolism into practice. Together, they cultivate a Culture of Peace that grows stronger each day of the year.
Current National Women’s Days: A Foundation to Build Upon
Currently, only a few countries officially commemorate when women gained voting rights. These existing observances provide a foundation for the broader initiative:
New Zealand: Women’s Suffrage Day – September 19, 1893
New Zealand became the first self-governing country in the world to enshrine in law the right for women to vote in parliamentary elections on September 19, 1893. Kate Sheppard, the suffrage movement leader, appears on the New Zealand $10 note since 1993. This makes her one of the few non-royal women featured on currency worldwide.
United States: Women’s Equality Day – August 26, 1920
The United States commemorates the ratification of the 19th Amendment on August 26, 1920. This amendment granted American women the constitutional right to vote after decades of activism.
United Arab Emirates: Emirati Women’s Day – August 28
The UAE granted women the right to vote on December 16, 2006, when the first Federal National Council elections were held. The country also observes Emirati Women’s Day on August 28, celebrating broader achievements in women’s empowerment.
South Africa: National Women’s Day – August 9
South Africa observes National Women’s Day on August 9. This commemorates the 1956 march of 20,000 women to protest apartheid pass laws. Women gained full voting rights on April 27, 1994, during the country’s first democratic elections.
Lebanon: Lebanese Women’s Day – February 18, 1953
Lebanon granted women voting rights in 1953. The country proposed establishing a national Women’s Day in 2018. However, this proposal was later cancelled.
A Shared Call to Action
Women’s Days for a Culture of Peace is more than a calendar of events. It is a framework for collaboration, accountability, and change. By linking 193 national days to the principles of democracy, equality, and peace, the initiative transforms symbolic recognition into sustained action.
The success of this project depends on broad participation. Citizens, educators, artists, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders all have a role to play. By contributing knowledge, sharing experiences, and building partnerships, they strengthen the collective impact.
The call is clear: let us recognize that peace and equality are inseparable, and that both women and men must work together to achieve them. Let us turn data into dialogue, challenges into cooperation, and symbolic dates into year-round progress.
Together, we can grow a living global map of transformation—one that makes the Culture of Peace not only a vision, but a reality.
Sources and Further Information
- UN Women: Global champion for gender equality – unwomen.org
- New Zealand Ministry for Women: History of Women’s Suffrage – women.govt.nz
- New Zealand History: World Suffrage Timeline – nzhistory.govt.nz
- Red Yellow Blue Platform: Culture of Peace Initiative – redyellowblue.org
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Women’s Suffrage Historical Overview – britannica.com/woman-suffrage