International Women’s Day: challenges and opportunities in 2026 | Experts’ Opinions

International Women’s Day is not just about flowers, postcards, and gifts; its significance is rooted in history, serving as a moment of reflection on what has been achieved so far and what remains to be done regarding women’s rights and dignity. After decades of hard work and the fight for gender equality, many women and girls still face discrimination. Evidence of this is seen in the approximately 130 million girls and young women globally who are out of school. Furthermore, more than half of the women in the world have experienced discrimination in the workplace, and less than 30% of management positions globally are held by women. On March 8, celebrating International Women’s Day offers a chance to reflect on the progress made toward gender equality, the persistent challenges, and what the international community can do to close the gender gap. DevelopmentAid invites you to read the insights shared by international gender experts below.

DevelopmentAid: Despite progress in education and workforce participation, globally, women still hold a minority of leadership positions. What are the main barriers preventing women from reaching decision-making roles and why have existing gender policies failed to close this gap?

“Despite progress in women’s education and labor market participation, the gender gap in decision-making positions persists because gender inequality is a complex, dynamic, and systemic phenomenon operating simultaneously at the individual, institutional, and socio-cultural levels, and therefore cannot be addressed through partial measures. This is why science needs an integrated approach (phenomenological, structural, empirical, hermeneutic, semiotic, and systems-based), which reveals not only the outcomes but also the mechanisms through which inequality is reproduced, while public policy must shift from predominantly supply-side measures (training, empowerment, strengthening women’s individual capacities) toward demand-side measures that change the institutional rules of the game. This involves leadership criteria, promotion models, budget allocation, accountability systems, and incentive structures within organizations – because without such structural change, the system will continue to reproduce existing power relations, which is why previous gender policies, although normatively important, have not succeeded in closing the decision-making gap.”

“Across the world, women are better educated and more active in the workforce than ever before, yet leadership roles remain largely male. This gap is not about women’s ability or ambition. It is about systems that were designed around male life patterns and continue to reward availability, conformity, and access to informal power networks that many women are excluded from. While gender policies, quotas, and leadership programs have opened doors, they often stop short of changing who truly holds influence. Many women step into leadership pathways while still carrying the bulk of care responsibilities, navigating biased workplaces, and managing the unspoken expectation to prove themselves repeatedly. In this context, inclusion can feel conditional and fragile. Progress exists, but it is uneven and easily reversed. Real contribution begins with honesty. Closing leadership gaps requires rethinking how leadership is structured and supported through flexible working, safe environments, mentoring, and accountability at senior levels. When women are trusted with authority, not just invited to participate, leadership becomes possible and sustainable.”

“In my 30 years as an educationist in India, I have consistently observed that women’s limited presence in leadership is not due to lack of ability, but to deeply embedded structural and cultural constraints. While women form the backbone of the education workforce, decision-making spaces remain overwhelmingly male-dominated. Leadership roles are often designed around long, inflexible working hours, assuming freedom from care responsibilities, an expectation rarely placed on men. Informal networks, mentorship, and sponsorship opportunities also remain less accessible to women, reinforcing their exclusion from positions of influence. Gender policies have made progress in increasing women’s participation, but they often prioritize numerical representation over real power and authority. Without addressing unconscious bias, institutional culture, and accountability mechanisms, such policies will remain largely symbolic. In education systems, women are encouraged to teach but not to lead. Until leadership structures themselves are redesigned to support equity and care-responsive work arrangements, the leadership gap will persist despite well-intentioned reforms.”

“Despite progress in education and labor force participation, women still hold a minority of leadership positions globally. I am a concrete example of this. I have experienced this injustice twice in my workplace, in my field of expertise, where the company twice chose to hire men for the position of coordinator and myself for the position of simple officer, even though I was the most qualified. For me, it is a question of mentality and, above all, of the social and cultural norms that exist in my country, Niger, which has ratified international treaties on the elimination of discrimination against women (such as CEDAW and others) and adopted a National Gender Policy (2009-2018) to promote equality, despite often contrary customary practices. This is what causes obstacles for women in accessing positions of responsibility.”

“Despite progress in education and workforce participation, women remain under-represented in leadership because the “broken rung” (the failure to secure their first promotion – editor’s note) at early career stages prevents many from accessing managerial roles, which later feed into senior decision-making positions. Persistent care burdens, the weak enforcement of equality laws, and organizational cultures that reward linear, uninterrupted careers further widen the gap.”

 

 

DevelopmentAid: From your perspective, what are the most pressing challenges women are facing in 2026 and what are the opportunities?

“The most pressing challenges women will face in 2026 will stem from the institutional lag between formal equality and real implementation across labor systems, public policy, and social services. In government practice, gender mainstreaming often remains declarative rather than operational and budget-backed. In marriage and households, unequal bargaining power over time, resources, and decision-making continues to constrain women’s economic autonomy. Within the welfare state, care work is still undervalued, under-recognized, and insufficiently formalized. In science and research, the core barrier is no longer only participation, but unequal access to funding, networks, agenda-setting, and advancement pathways —especially in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics – editor’s note) and AI environments. At the same time, AI and IT can reproduce old inequalities through biased datasets, model design, representation gaps, and labor market filtering mechanisms. The greatest opportunities for progress lie in a paradigm shift: positioning the she-economy/care economy as a development core, not a peripheral social issue. That requires formalizing, professionalizing, and properly valuing care, support, and social-cohesion work, alongside stronger public investment in long-term care, mental health, and community-based services. Feminist economics and welfare-state frameworks provide the policy foundation for this shift, while capability and intersectional approaches improve precision in both research agendas and public-policy design. In AI/IT, gender-responsive design and regular algorithmic auditing should become standard practice. When gender equality is treated as a productivity, innovation, and growth issue — not only a justice issue — public policy can move toward measurable, durable outcomes across science, labor markets, and social systems.”

“By 2026, many women will continue to live at the intersection of multiple pressures: economic uncertainty, climate stress, insecurity, and unpaid care work. Globally, women are often expected to absorb the shock of crises while keeping families, workplaces, and communities functioning. Programs supporting women’s skills, livelihoods, and resilience are expanding and making a difference, yet access remains unequal, particularly for women in informal work, fragile settings, or marginalized communities. Still, there is reason for optimism. More institutions are recognizing that women are not just affected by crises, but they are central to recovery. Women are leading local responses, sustaining economies, and building resilience in ways that are practical and deeply rooted in community life. Contributing meaningfully in 2026 means meeting women where they are. It requires flexible funding, longer timelines, and programs designed around real lives rather than ideal conditions. When women shape solutions themselves, progress becomes not only possible, but lasting.”

“Looking toward 2026, women face a complex intersection of economic uncertainty, technological change, and social pushback. In India, many women remain concentrated in informal or low-paid roles, leaving them particularly vulnerable to automation and economic shocks. In education, the learning losses caused by the pandemic continue to affect girls disproportionately, especially those from rural and marginalized communities. At the same time, there are significant opportunities for progress. Digital education, flexible learning models, and skills-based pathways can open new avenues for women, provided access, affordability, and safety are ensured. Through my work with women educators and mothers, including via the Mompath initiative, I see a generational shift emerging. Young women are more confident, aspirational, and willing to challenge restrictive norms. With sustained investment in education, digital inclusion, and supportive learning environments, 2026 can become a turning point, where women are not merely participants in development, but leaders who are shaping its direction.”

“Referring to this year’s theme announced by the UN, “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL women and girls”, it will be a great challenge for women, especially when it comes to rights and justice, which are not achievable today or immediately!”

 

 

 

“The key challenges will include stalled global progress toward gender parity, increased exposure to conflict and climate-related shocks, and widening digital divides. The greatest opportunities lie in scaling investments in childcare and long-term care, accelerating digital and green skills for women, and strengthening legal implementation mechanisms that convert can policy into real outcomes.”

 

 

DevelopmentAid: In recent years, there has been a growing backlash against gender equality, including the rise in misogyny and violent extremism both online and offline. How does this trend affect women’s rights and participation, and what can development actors do in response?

“The backlash against gender equality that we have witnessed during recent years has followed a genealogy that increasingly moves from online to offline: misogynistic and violent extremist narratives scale rapidly on platforms, gain a false aura of neutrality through biased data and AI models, and then spill into institutions, labor markets, and everyday social relations. These offline effects are then fed back into digital systems as ‘normal’ patterns. In this loop, anxiety about AI among women grows because the tools expected to protect participation often reproduce older hierarchies. Development actors therefore need a three-layer intersectional response. At the intra-categorical (descriptive) level, they should identify within-group differences among women and apply targeted protection and access measures where risk is highest. At the inter-categorical (institutional and normative) level, they should remove structural barriers through gender analysis of policies and budgets, enforce institutional and platform accountability, and reform rules that produce unequal access and outcomes. At the anti-categorical (discursive) level, they should challenge the categories and narratives that legitimize inequality by changing public language, media standards, education, and digital communication norms. In practical terms, this means short-term harm prevention and safety mechanisms, medium-term institutional and regulatory redesign, and the long-term transformation of social norms so that women’s rights and participation are protected across both digital and physical spaces.”

“Across the world, progress on gender equality has been met with a growing backlash. Women who speak publicly, lead organisations, or challenge entrenched norms are increasingly targeted through harassment, misinformation, and, in some contexts, violence. Online spaces have intensified this trend, allowing abuse to follow women into their workplaces and homes. While safeguarding policies, reporting mechanisms, and awareness campaigns are more common than in the past, many women still do not trust that speaking up will lead to protection rather than further harm. The impact of this backlash is often quiet but deeply damaging. Women withdraw from leadership, public debate, and civic life not because they lack confidence or commitment, but because the personal cost feels too high. When silence becomes a survival strategy, rights and representation erode. Meaningful contribution must start with safety. Development actors need to treat the backlash as a serious risk to participation by investing in digital safety, survivor-centered reporting systems, and clear accountability when harm occurs. Standing visibly with women and responding decisively to abuse are essential to protecting both women’s rights and the progress already made.”

“The backlash against gender equality is increasingly visible in schools, communities, and online spaces. As an educator, I have witnessed how misogynistic narratives and online hostility shape young people’s attitudes, discouraging girls from speaking up or aspiring to leadership. This climate normalizes discrimination and undermines women’s participation in public life. Development actors must recognize this backlash as a serious threat to democratic and social progress. Education remains one of the most effective responses. Gender-sensitive curricula, critical thinking, and digital literacy can equip young people to question harmful narratives and resist misinformation. Supporting women teachers and school leaders is equally important, as they often serve as role models and the defenders of inclusive values. Long-term investment in education, community engagement, and legal safeguards are essential to prevent regression and sustain progress on women’s rights.”

“In my opinion, development actors must focus on the challenges faced and the actions taken by women, highlighting the success stories of women who, despite hostility and inequality, have managed to prove that they are capable and, more than that, that they are often more qualified and resourceful than some men.”

 

 

 

“Rising technology facilitates violence – misogyny, deepfakes, harassment – has a chilling effect on women’s participation in public life. Development actors can respond by supporting stronger laws, platform accountability measures, digital safety infrastructure, and targeted protection for women in public roles.”

 

 

 

DevelopmentAid: Will the rise of AI help to close the gender gaps or widen them?

“Over time, mechanisms of exclusion change their form from open subordination (traditionalists), through the ‘glass ceiling’ faced by women in the Baby Boomer generation (formally included, but substantively blocked), to the ‘sticky floor’ that affects women in lower-paid and routine roles, and ‘tokenism’ among those who enter elite structures yet remain the exception rather than the rule. In parallel, the ‘glass escalator’ shows that men in female professions often advance faster. For Generation X, the ‘sandwich position’ (caring for children and older parents) reduces time, energy, and career visibility. Among Millennials and younger cohorts, meta-work emerges: the invisible management of communication, emotions, coordination, and constant digital availability – work that rarely enters formal performance evaluation. Within this trajectory, AI acts as an amplifier: algorithmic recruitment can reproduce the old leadership profile pattern (harming younger women entering careers), automation disproportionately affects segments with higher female employment (reinforcing the sticky floor), and in later career stages digital criteria can devalue experience thereby harming older women. The most affected groups are therefore young women at the entry point of the labor market, mid-career women in a sandwich position, and older women caught in the technological transition. If AI is governed without a gender and generation-sensitive lens, inequality will become faster, quieter, and institutionally legitimized.”

“AI is rapidly shaping the future of work, services, and decision-making, yet women remain largely absent from the spaces where these systems are designed and governed. Globally, this creates a real risk that new technologies will repeat old inequalities through biased data, exclusion from digital opportunities, and widening access gaps. While digital inclusion initiatives are growing, many women still lack the skills, infrastructure, or confidence to engage fully. At the same time, AI holds genuine promise. It can extend education, healthcare, and economic opportunities to women who have long been excluded, particularly in remote or low-resource settings. Whether AI narrows or widens the gender gaps depends on choice. Contributing responsibly means involving women early and meaningfully as designers, decision-makers, and leaders. It requires investment in digital skills, ethical governance, and technology that reflects women’s lived realities. If women do not help to shape AI, its benefits will not reach them equally.”

“From an education perspective, AI presents both promise and risk for gender equality. AI-powered tools can personalize learning, support teachers, and expand access to education in remote and underserved areas. However, the digital divide remains significant. Many women and girls still lack access to devices, reliable connectivity, and digital skills. If this gap persists, AI will deepen the existing inequalities rather than reduce them. There is also the concern that AI systems often reproduce the biases of their creators, while women remain underrepresented in technology design, governance, and decision-making. To ensure AI supports gender equality, we must invest in girls’ STEM education, digital literacy for women educators, and inclusive technology policies. AI should strengthen, not replace, human-centered education. With intentional design and equitable access, it can become a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.”

“The rise of AI will help to bring change, since AI can be used for anything, and this revolution can be harnessed to promote women’s rights.”

 

 

 

“AI can either narrow or widen the gender gaps. Without safeguards, it amplifies bias and deepens inequalities. With strong bias testing standards, transparency, inclusive datasets, and gender responsive digital skills, AI can support women’s economic participation and leadership.”

 

 

 

“AI has the potential to help to close gender gaps globally by fostering economic inclusion, offering flexible working opportunities, and reducing bias in hiring, but there are also plenty of risks that may widen these gaps further. It is recommended to adequately upskill women to enhance their productivity and bridge the gaps in job opportunities, quality and wages. Currently, there is a significant digital gender divide that exists universally, more so in poorer economies. The data suggests that women are at higher risk of being left behind in the future, tech-driven workforce and being affected or displaced by AI compared to men. This can be further addressed by encouraging the AI adoption rate amongst women and promoting greater female participation in AI development. The investments in women’s education and widespread training will not only bridge the gender gaps in education and digital skills, it will also help economies to perform better and become more resilient.”

DevelopmentAid: Women continue to shoulder the majority of unpaid care work worldwide. What are the most effective policy solutions for the redistribution of care responsibilities?

“The development of models that analyze gender equality stems from the need to formalize the mechanisms through which gender differences affect productivity, growth, and social dynamics. The genealogy of this approach shows a clear shift: from labor-market allocation, to household dynamics, and then to marriage and property institutions while the core issue remains the same: redistributing unpaid care work. In the “misallocation of talent models,” key policy solutions include women’s education and training, anti-discrimination laws, firm-level quotas, and tax incentives and their short-term effect is reduced discrimination and faster female entry into paid work. As women gain more stable income, more care activities can be shifted out of the exclusively private sphere. Next, household models focus on policy solutions such as health services, girls’ education, childcare subsidies, and employer incentives to hire women; in the medium term, these measures can change intra-household time allocation and reduce the burden of unpaid care. Then, intra-household bargaining models (inheritance rights, direct transfers to women, microcredit) can strengthen women’s bargaining power and support a fairer division of responsibilities in the medium and long term. Finally, marriage market models, through family law, divorce rules, property rights, and labor-market regulation, can produce long-term institutional change that reframes care as a social responsibility rather than a predominantly female one.”

“Unpaid care work remains one of the most overlooked barriers to gender equality worldwide. Women continue to shoulder the majority of responsibility for caring for children, elders, people with disabilities, and communities often alongside paid work. While care is increasingly recognized in global policy discussions, practical support remains limited and uneven. Some progress has been made through childcare services, flexible working arrangements, and social protection measures. Yet for many women, especially those in informal or precarious work, this support is out of reach. Care remains a private burden rather than a shared responsibility. Real contribution requires shifting both systems and expectations. Governments and development partners must invest in care infrastructure and services, while also challenging the norms that place care responsibility solely on women. Supporting men to take on care roles and valuing care as essential work are critical steps toward lasting change.”

“Unpaid care work remains one of the most persistent barriers to women’s full participation in economic and public life. In India, women shoulder this burden regardless of education or income level. Through both my professional experience and my work with mothers via Mompath, I have seen how care responsibilities limit women’s ability to pursue leadership, continuous learning, and stable careers. Meaningful change must begin early, through education that challenges traditional gender roles. Policy solutions — such as affordable childcare, school-based care programs, flexible working arrangements, and paid parental leave for both parents — are essential. Within the education sector, care-responsive workplace policies can help to retain experienced women teachers and leaders. However, the redistribution of care cannot rely on policy alone. Men must be actively engaged, and care work must be socially valued. Education plays a crucial role in reshaping norms, making it one of the most powerful long-term tools for change.”

“In my country, there are no laws regarding the redistribution of domestic responsibilities. In our culture, it is the social norms that dictate that women must obey and respect their husbands, and that all domestic tasks naturally fall to them so it is difficult to change much in this regard, except perhaps through awareness campaigns aimed at changing behaviors and attitudes.”

 

 

“The most effective solutions include universal, affordable childcare and long-term care; well-designed, adequately paid and father-specific parental leave; flexible but secure work arrangements; and care-aware tax and social protection policies.”

 

 

 

DevelopmentAid: How can investing in women help economies to recover and become more resilient?

“Investing in women strengthens recovery and economic resilience when it is aligned with the development structure, market demand, and the quality of technological transformation. The macroeconomic effect appears through higher income per capita growth, a broader tax base, and more stable public finances. Reducing gender gaps in education and employment in developing economies can yield about 0.8–1.1 percentage points of additional annual GDP-per-capita growth. Data ecofeminism is used here to explain resilience and growth quality: growth is not sustainable if digital systems simultaneously deepen gender asymmetries and increase energy and environmental costs. The core point is therefore “quality growth” — algorithms and infrastructure should be designed to reduce inequalities, raise efficiency, and lower the ecological footprint, because only that combination can produce stable, long-term resilient development. For donor agendas, one rule follows from the development stage: “if you have two elephants and a few gazelles, you can have as many mice as you want”; but in economies with a missing middle/no bridge problem, women cannot be encouraged into entrepreneurship as the main supply-side measure because there are not enough medium-sized firms to create real markets. Therefore, the priority must be demand-side measures: the development of medium-sized enterprises, value chains, and procurement mechanisms that open actual sales channels and create a durable economic position for women.”

“Across contexts, one truth remains consistent: when women are supported, communities and economies are stronger. Women drive local economies, sustain households, and help communities to recover from crises. Programs that support women’s skills, leadership, and enterprises have demonstrated real impact, yet they are often small, short-term, or disconnected from wider economic strategies. Too often, women are expected to be resilient without being resourced. Making an investment count means thinking long-term. Supporting women requires sustained financing, reduced barriers to participation, and a genuine seat at decision-making tables. When women are included in shaping economic and recovery strategies, the benefits extend beyond individuals to families, communities, and entire economies. Investing in women is not symbolic – it is one of the most practical and effective choices societies can make.”

“Over my career, I have seen how investing in women, particularly through education, creates lasting economic and social returns. Educated women are more likely to invest in their children’s health and learning, strengthening human capital across generations. Women’s participation in the workforce and in leadership improves productivity, innovation, and community resilience. During times of crisis, women educators, caregivers, and community leaders often sustain families and institutions, yet their contributions remain undervalued. Economic recovery strategies that overlook women risk reinforcing inequality and slowing long-term growth. By investing in women’s education, skills development, leadership pathways, and care infrastructure, including initiatives that support mothers’ re-entry and advancement, economies can become more inclusive, adaptive, and resilient. Gender equality is not only a social imperative; it is the foundation for sustainable development.”

“There are many women in Niger who do extraordinary things but remain in the shadows due to a lack of resources or consideration from the community, which does not benefit from their work, ideas, or decisions. I find this unfortunate, as they should be glorified, encouraged, and valued.”

 

 

 

“Higher female participation boosts growth, reduces inequality, expands tax bases, and strengthens economic stability. Investments in the care economy, digital and green skills, and women-led entrepreneurship will deliver some of the highest multipliers for inclusive and sustainable recovery.”

 

 

 

See also: Women have limited access to digital technologies. How can this change? | Experts’ Opinions

In 2026, there is still a significant gender gap, which leaves space for more projects, expertise, and initiatives to close this divide. For those who want to make a change in this field, on DevelopmentAid’s job board there are currently over 200 open positions in the gender and human rights sector. Individual Professional Members have the benefit of being able to access these, study the requirements, and see where they could make a difference. DevelopmentAid members can also search for tenders and grants for individuals, and even check salary trends in different areas. No matter the gender, positions are open to everyone, and with good preparation and the right resources at their disposal, professionals can position themselves strategically and contribute meaningfully to advancing gender equality worldwide.