The International Women's Year was declared by:

The correct answer is United Nations.

Key Points

• The International Women's Year was declared by the United Nations (UN) in 1975.
• This declaration aimed to emphasize gender equality and women’s empowerment globally.
• The year marked the beginning of the United Nations Decade for Women (1976-1985), which focused on women's rights and development.
• 1975 was also significant as it hosted the first World Conference on Women in Mexico City, attended by representatives from 133 countries.
• The declaration highlighted critical issues like education, employment, health, and equal opportunities for women.

Additional Information

• United Nations and Women's Empowerment
  • The UN established UN Women in 2010 to accelerate progress on gender equality.
  • The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979.
  • The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) remains a cornerstone for gender equality advocacy worldwide.
  • The Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.
• World Conferences on Women
  • The first conference in 1975, Mexico City, addressed global gender equality challenges.
  • The subsequent conferences in Copenhagen (1980), Nairobi (1985), and Beijing (1995) advanced women’s rights worldwide.
  • The Beijing Platform for Action established comprehensive frameworks for women's empowerment.
• Historical Significance of 1975
  • The year was pivotal in bringing women's issues to the forefront of global policy discussions.
  • It marked a shift in recognizing women’s contributions to social, economic, and political development.
• UN Decade for Women (1976–1985)
  • This decade focused on themes like equality, development, and peace.
  • It laid the foundation for numerous international treaties, conferences, and initiatives for women’s rights.