International Women’s Day provides an important opportunity for us at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) to join the global community in celebrating progress toward gender equality. It is a moment to recognize and celebrate the advances made, honor the individuals and communities driving transformative change, and reaffirm our commitment to closing the persistent gender gaps that remain.
Building on UN Women’s International Women's Day (IWD) 2026 theme, ‘Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls’, CGIAR is aligning its celebrations with the International Year of the Woman Farmer, focusing on the theme, "Empowered women, transforming agrifood systems."
ILRI’s research and innovations are enabling and promoting improved access, ownership, and control over livestock resources and assets by women across livestock systems in Africa and Asia.
ILRI’s innovative approaches to overcoming restrictive gender norms—those unwritten rules that tend to hold women back—are unlocking opportunities across pig and poultry value chains, bringing about greater income, better nutrition, and safer food for everyone.
While we also celebrate the women scientists and researchers behind these innovations, we take this opportunity to shine the spotlight on the women and girls in livestock who champion change as well as the men and boys whose support enable adoption and uptake of innovations.
