International Women's Day 2025

According to UN Women, this year's International Women's Day theme is “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”

This is a call for action that can unlock equal rights, power, and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind. Central to this vision is empowering the next generation—youth, particularly young women and adolescent girls—as catalysts for lasting change.

In view of this, we at ILRI are celebrating our female staff, and our suite of research that supports women. We will host a celebratory event on Friday 7 March at our Nairobi campus, followed by International Women's Day on 8 March.

Celebrating women at ILRI

The ILRI gender research team aims to ensure better lives for all women, girls, men and boys, and a better planet through livestock. Research can focus on gender, equity, diversity, and inclusion in livestock systems to ensure that they are integrated into development. Other research focuses on empowerment, gender norms and policies. Gender considerations are integrated into livestock feeds and forages, animal genetics, animal health, environment, and nutrition, among others.

In its corporate strategy for 2024-2030, ILRI aims to unlock 'Sustainable Livestock's Potential Through Research for Better Lives and a Better Planet'. This strategy is particularly significant for our celebration of International Women's Day as it focuses on two mutually dependent objectives: co-designing and deploying sustainable livestock innovations and leveraging scientific evidence for policy and investment decisions, with a strong emphasis on gender research.

iwd 2025

On Friday 8 March the CGIAR Gender Platform, in conjunction with ILRI, will host a high-level event on empowering women towards sustainable and equitable food systems.

This event is convened by the CGIAR Gender Equality and Inclusion Accelerator, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), ILRI, and CIFOR-ICRAF. It will bring together key stakeholders from CGIAR and the food systems to highlight why investing in women's empowerment and gender equality is a pathway to a sustainable and resilient future for agrifood systems.

This will be followed by a Friday Morning Coffee event for all ILRI staff to continue to celebrate women.

Across the world, ILRI will be marking the day in different offices:

Nairobi

Reaching communities through radio talk shows and community dramas

To expand access to climate information, ILRI and partners developed radio talk shows and community dramas to deliver climate agro-advisories in local languages. In 2024, these broadcasts reached over 400,000 people in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid counties, providing guidance on drought-tolerant crops, agronomic practices, and seasonal climate updates. The initiative was especially important for women in remote pastoral communities, who often lack extension or phone access and would otherwise miss out on SMS-based advisories sent through the AgDataHub, managed by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD).

Designed with support and input from the community, the programs amplify local and equitable solutions for women, men, and youth to strengthen community resilience. This work was carried out under the World-Bank funded AICCRA project in partnership with KMD, the Association of Women in Agriculture Kenya (AWAK), county governments, communities, and FM radio stations.

Safer milk, stronger women-led dairy businesses

Kenya’s informal dairy sector provides income for many small-scale vendors, yet challenges like limited access to training, finance, and regulatory support can hold them back. More Milk for Lives and Livelihoods (MoreMILK 2) is working to address these barriers by equipping vendors – women and men alike – with the business skills, financial literacy, and safe milk handling practices that can help their businesses grow and compete.

Active in Nakuru, Nyandarua, and Uasin Gishu counties, the initiative is promoting a more inclusive dairy sector where women vendors–who often face additional barriers–can participate and thrive alongside their male counterparts. Vendors participating in the program also receive training on regulatory requirements and support in obtaining business permits from the Kenya Dairy Board – helping them build stronger, more sustainable dairy businesses.

Booklet: MoreMilk: Inspiring stories of transformation in Kenya's informal dairy sector

Tanzania

Championing gender-inclusive poultry businesses in Tanzania

ILRI partnered with Shujaaz Inc., a social media company, to run virtual and in-person campaigns promoting women in the chicken business, the men who support them, and youth engagement in norm-shifting conversations in Tanzania. Pairing technical interventions with gender-transformative approaches is enhancing outcomes like breed and vaccine adoption while increasing women’s empowerment.

In 2021, the Shujaaz campaign reached 4.4 million young Tanzanians, with more than 500,000 engaging directly with the Shujaaz social media content and nearly 170,000 involved in norm-shifting conversations. In 2024, it took a more targeted approach, reaching project beneficiaries through in-person events in 15 villages and eight radio interviews in Kagera and Kilimanjaro regions. Binti Shujaaz comics featuring a woman chicken vendor were also distributed. Check out the Binti Shujaaz comic book!

Additionally, IITA Tanzania, in collaboration with hosted institutes, including ILRI, is organizing an International Women’s Day event on Friday, March 7, 2025. As part of the celebration, women will visit the labour ward at Kawe Hospital for a charity initiative aimed at supporting and uplifting women. The activity reflects the institute’s commitment to empowering women and fostering community well-being. The women will provide essential supplies identified by the hospital to support mothers and healthcare workers. Moreover, all staff will gather to celebrate women at the atrium on the same day.

Uganda

Livestock is a key sector in Uganda, contributing about 4.3% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Close to 60% of households depend on livestock for their livelihoods. Women and youth are major livestock production contributors yet face restrictive social and gender norms that limit their ability to fully benefit from the business and economic opportunities in the sector. To address these barriers, ILRI gender researchers implemented targeted interventions aimed at transforming gender norms and enhancing the participation and benefits of women and youth in Uganda’s livestock enterprises.”

Interventions aimed at sensitizing community members about the importance of women's involvement in the pig value chain, promoting positive deviants as role models for other women and building the capacity of women and youth to engage better with clients. A pig weight band was piloted in intervention communities to enable farmers to negotiate better prices for their live pigs and address the low prices given, especially to women farmers.

Read here a blog on Empowering women in livestock: addressing gender barriers in Uganda’s pig sector

Senegal

The AICCRA Senegal project, coordinated by ILRI, plays a key role in supporting the resilience of women, particularly those involved in dairy production. Although these women are the main producers of milk, they face numerous obstacles. Thanks to the entrepreneurship and hygiene best practices training provided by AICCRA, they are now better equipped to overcome these challenges and improve the quality of their production. As beneficiary Raky Ndiaye shares, "Thanks to the milk collection unit and the hygiene techniques learned, I can now sell my production at a fair price and avoid any spoilage."

By providing these training opportunities and improving access to stable markets, the project contributes to the empowerment of women and the socio-economic resilience of rural communities. This support is crucial in a sector that is vital for Senegal's food security. See more below:

Entrepreneuriat et maitrise des bonnes pratiques d’hygiène: comment AICCRA Séné…

Vietnam

Across generations, disciplines, and nationalities, women at ILRI regional office in Vietnam are shaping the future of livestock research for sustainability and social inclusion. This video highlights the voices of ILRI Vietnam staff as they define empowerment, share their contributions to gender equality, and inspire young women in science and agriculture.

From food safety and zoonotic disease research to ICT solutions and economic empowerment, ILRI regional office in Vietnam is committed to ensuring women’s active participation in decision-making. The team’s message is clear: gender equality is not just about fairness—it is about unlocking potential and driving innovation for both women and men. On this International Women’s Day, the regional staff celebrate the women and men who are changemakers, building a world where every woman and girl can thrive.

Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, livelihood shocks such as conflict and drought have significantly impacted households across the country, affecting men, women, youth, and children differently. Reconstructing livelihoods in shock-affected areas remains a critical research and development priority.

Livelihood rehabilitation programs often focus on providing livestock and agricultural inputs to affected communities. Livestock, in particular, plays a crucial role in addressing women's socioeconomic challenges and rebuilding livelihoods. However, achieving equitable outcomes requires empirical evidence to guide policies toward effective livestock-based livelihood reconstruction.

To this end, gender and policy researchers at ILRI are generating rigorous data and evidence to inform equitable livelihood reconstruction in conflict-affected areas of Ethiopia. A key focus is identifying the main drivers of women’s disempowerment in post-conflict settings and drawing insights on achieving equitable reconstruction for both men and women. Researchers also collect gender-disaggregated livestock data at the household level to establish baseline evidence and track changes in livelihoods and women’s empowerment over time.

**A woman farmer benefits from improved feed management system introduced by IPMS**

Other gender and livestock research areas in Ethiopia include assessing the impact of small-scale irrigated forage production on gender relations and women’s empowerment. Findings indicate a positive link between empowerment and shifts in gender dynamics among smallholder farmers. Increased forage production and irrigation can reduce women's workload, but additional strategies are needed to enhance women’s autonomy over income, improve physical mobility, and foster trust within farm households. Integrating gender-transformative approaches into small-scale forage interventions is essential to advancing gender equality.

ILRI's investment in the youth

Capacity development is a prominent feature of ILRI’s strategy. Over 70 staff across the institute work on capacity development at different levels of investment, and 15 of these work exclusively on capacity development issues or projects.

In line with the IWD theme this year we celebrate two young women whose development ILRI is investing in.

Rachel Njoroge

Rachael Muthoni Njoroge is a gender and development specialist and graduate fellow at ILRI - passionate about advocating for gender equality, women’s empowerment, and the rights of vulnerable groups. Njoroge says that women in research play a vital role as mentors, guiding and inspiring younger women through academic and career mentorship. They open doors to research opportunities, professional growth, and networking while championing inclusivity in STEM and social sciences.

Despite facing gender bias and work-life balance challenges, women persist, proving that a research career is possible. They break stereotypes, push for policy reforms, and build strong support networks like the Organization for Women in Science and Development, which funds women in science.

Balancing careers, families, and societal contributions, they lead by example, sharing experiences and published work to inspire future researchers. The 2025 International Women’s Day theme is a call to action—encouraging young women to embrace research and drive meaningful change. Be part of it, she adds.

Sharon Nalubega

Sharon Grace is a professional intern in the Livestock Genetics, Feeds and Nutrition Resources Program at ILRI-Nairobi. She contributes to research on forage crops for improved livestock feed and has a strong foundation in crop production, plant breeding, and research methodologies. She is passionate about applying scientific knowledge to solve real-world challenges in agriculture, contributing to animal nutrition and food security.

Grace believes that research plays a crucial role in driving agricultural innovation and ensuring sustainable food production. Her advice to young people is to be curious, ask questions, and pursue their passions fearlessly, as the world needs their unique perspectives and talents to address the complex challenges facing agriculture and create a more food-secure future. She passionately champions women and girls' participation in research by embracing the unknown as growth begins at the edge of their comfort zones.

"The best way to predict the future is to create it." - Abraham Lincoln / Peter Drucker