1st – Zero Discrimination Day; 8th – International Women’s Day; 21st – Eliminate Racial Discrimination; 25th – Remember the Victims of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. These four International observance days reflect on experiences and histories, and are a call to action to embrace and implement global, sustainable change, and positive outcomes.
Zero Discrimination Day
March 1st
On Zero Discrimination Day this year (2023), under the theme
“Save lives: Decriminalise”,
UNAIDS is highlighting how the decriminalisation of key populations and people living with HIV saves lives and helps advance the end of the AIDS pandemic.
“In 2021, the world set ambitious law reform targets to remove criminal laws that are undermining the HIV response and leaving key populations behind. Recognising decriminalization as a critical element in the response, countries made a commitment that by 2025 less than 10% of countries would have punitive legal and policy environments that affect the HIV response. However, despite some encouraging reforms, the world is far from achieving the target.”
International Women’s Day
March 8th
Campaign theme: #EmbraceEquity
Equity isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have.
“A focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society’s DNA.
And it’s critical to understand the difference between equity and equality.
The IWD 2023 campaign theme drives worldwide understanding why Equal opportunities aren’t enough!”
Eliminate Racial Discrimination
March 21st
The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on the day the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws” in 1960.
Pass laws were part of the
white-dominance in the government systems designed to segregate, control, stigmatize, and restrict movements of Black African citizens. Pass laws were one of the dominant features of the apartheid system.
International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
March 25th
To honour and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system. For over 400 years, more than 15 million men, women and children were the victims of the tragic transatlantic slave trade, one of the darkest chapters in human history. Unveiled in 2015; The Ark of Return by Rodney Leon, an American architect of Haitian descent, permanently honours the victims.
