International Women's Day Tutorial Resource

International Women's Day Tutorial Resource

This is a ready-made Navigate resource pack intended for use within college tutorials or sessions. You are welcome to use it as provided or adapt it to better suit the specific needs of your college and students. These resources are designed to support student engagement with key national events and topics throughout the academic year. Please ensure that all activities are recorded on Navigate against each participating student.

Open the editable resource in Canva

This pack is available in both PowerPoint and Canva formats so you can adapt and edit the materials to suit your college's needs.

How to use this resource

1. Choose your icebreaker. At the end of this pack you'll find three icebreaker options designed to introduce the session's theme. Review these and select one that best suits your group's energy, time, and context.
2. Review the tutor notes. Before delivering the session, read through the tutor notes to understand the background and purpose of the topic. These notes will help you feel confident in leading the discussion and provide key points to include in your delivery.
3. Follow the session plan. Use the 30-35 minute session plan as your guide. It offers a suggested flow with timing and activity breakdowns to help structure your delivery effectively.
4. Deliver using the slides and resources. Work through the main input slides, activity slides, and reflection slides in order. Use any additional printable resources provided to support the main activity.

Tutor notes: topic context

International Women's Day (IWD), celebrated annually on 8 March, is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for advancing gender equality. IWD has been around for well over a century, with the first IWD marked in 1911.

In 2026, IWD marks an extraordinary milestone: 115 years of collective action, advocacy, and progress toward gender equality. For more than a century, IWD has helped drive transformative change. Each generation has built on the courage of those before it, pushing boundaries and redefining what is possible.

What are the aims of IWD? IWD can mean different things to various groups, yet the overarching aims are to:

1. Celebrate women's achievements by recognising and appreciating the contributions of women in various fields, highlighting their influence and successes throughout history and in the present day.
2. Raise awareness of gender inequality by shining a light on persistent issues like the gender pay gap, lack of representation in leadership roles, gender-based violence, and unequal access to education and opportunities.
3. Mobilise action for equality by encouraging individuals, communities, and organisations to take steps toward creating a more inclusive and equitable world for women.
4. Donate and fundraise for women-focused charities, and elevate the visibility of their work.
5. Foster solidarity among people of all genders in support of women's rights and gender parity worldwide.

Session plan (30-35 minutes)

1. Starter - Icebreaker (5-7 mins). Choose one icebreaker:
   • Icebreaker 1: Guess the Achievement. Students guess which woman accomplished what achievement.
   • Icebreaker 2: International Women's Day Quiz. Complete the quiz and learn more about IWD.
   • Icebreaker 3: Emoji Film Decode. Guess the film that features strong female leads or stories by the emojis.
2. Main tutor input (10 mins). Give students a clear understanding of the current theme for IWD. Introduce what International Women's Day is and why it matters and is celebrated. Go over celebrating achievements and barriers that women can face. Prepare students to think about achievement, barriers, resilience and everyday impact.
3. Main class activity (15 mins). Divide into groups of 4-6 or pairs. Students discuss a woman who inspires them by answering the questions, then share and feed back to the class. Link back to respect, opportunity, representation and challenging stereotypes.
4. Reflection and wrap (5-8 mins). Ask the reflection questions as well as "One new thing you learned today?" Encourage volunteers to share. Show the Navigate slide and prompt students to log their learning and reflections.

Main group activity: the woman who inspires me

Students discuss in groups a woman in their life, community, or society who has influenced or inspired them. This could be a family member, a teacher, a public figure, a coach, a friend, or a historical figure.

Answer the following:

1. Who is she?
2. What has she achieved or overcome?
3. What barriers might she have faced?
4. How does her story link to the aims of International Women's Day?
5. What quality do you admire most?

Students can write a short paragraph, present back individually, in pairs or in groups, or record a short reflection directly on Navigate.

Introduction

What is International Women's Day? International Women's Day (8 March) is a global day that celebrates women's achievements across history and today, raises awareness of gender inequality that still exists worldwide, and encourages action to create a more equal and inclusive society.

Why is it celebrated? The day is celebrated to:

• Recognise and celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women
• Raise awareness of gender inequality and the work still needed to achieve equality
• Promote respect, inclusion, and equal opportunities for all
• Encourage action to challenge stereotypes and discrimination

International Women's Day is celebrated every year on 8 March and has been recognised globally since 1911. It began as part of a movement demanding better working conditions, fair pay, and voting rights for women. Over time, it has grown into a worldwide day of recognition and action. It is not just about history but also about understanding where progress has been made and where change is still needed.

Learning objectives

By the end of this session, students will:

• Understand what International Women's Day is and why it is celebrated
• Recognise the achievements and contributions of women globally and locally
• Explore ongoing challenges relating to equality
• Reflect on how you can promote respect, fairness, and inclusion

Celebrating achievement: big or small

International Women's Day is not only about world leaders or celebrities. It is about recognising the achievements of women in all areas of life, including those in our own families, communities, and workplaces. Achievement does not always mean fame. It can mean:

• Being the first in a family to attend university
• Balancing work and family responsibilities
• Challenging stereotypes in a chosen career
• Supporting others through adversity

Barriers and strength

Although progress has been made, many women still face barriers such as:

• Gender stereotypes affecting expectations and opportunities
• Unequal representation in leadership roles
• Online harassment or discrimination
• Pressure around appearance or behaviour

Understanding these barriers helps us appreciate the resilience and strength shown by many women in everyday life. International Women's Day encourages us not only to recognise this, but to think about how we can support fairness and respect moving forward.

Reflection

• Why is International Women's Day still important today?
• What did today's session make you realise about equality?
• How can recognising women's achievements change attitudes?
• What stereotype can you challenge in everyday life?

Icebreaker option 1: Guess the Achievement

Read the achievement and guess which woman accomplished it.

1. Who was the first female Prime Minister of the UK? (Theresa May / Margaret Thatcher / Nicola Sturgeon) - Margaret Thatcher. She became Prime Minister in 1979, marking a major milestone in UK political history.
2. Who became the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner for campaigning for girls' education? (Greta Thunberg / Malala Yousafzai / Emma Watson) - Malala Yousafzai. She won the Nobel Peace Prize at 17 and continues to campaign for girls' access to education worldwide, directly linking to IWD's focus on equal opportunity.
3. Who scored a hat-trick in the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final for England? (Leah Williamson / Ellen White / Ella Toone) - Ella Toone. The Lionesses' Euro 2022 win significantly increased visibility and investment in women's sport in the UK.
4. Who directed the highest-grossing film of 2023 and became the first solo female director to pass 1 billion at the box office? (Greta Gerwig / Patty Jenkins / Emerald Fennell) - Greta Gerwig. Barbie became a global phenomenon and sparked discussions about gender roles, representation, and empowerment in mainstream media.

Icebreaker option 2: International Women's Day Quiz

Complete the quiz and learn more about the movement.

1. What date is International Women's Day held each year? 8 March.
2. In which year was the first International Women's Day held? 1911.
3. Which global organisation officially recognises International Women's Day? The United Nations.
4. What colours are traditionally associated with IWD? Purple, White and Green (Purple = Justice and Dignity, Green = Hope, White = Unity).
5. In which region do people get the day off work for IWD? Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
6. Why is there a specific theme for IWD every year? To focus globally on a specific issue.

Icebreaker option 3: Emoji Film Decode

Can you guess the film that features strong female leads or stories from the emojis?

• Hidden Figures. Showed the true story of Black women mathematicians at NASA and helped highlight overlooked contributions of women in STEM. Links to the IWD aim of celebrating achievements previously ignored.
• The Hunger Games. Katniss became a symbol of resistance and strength, challenged the "male action hero" stereotype, and sparked discussions about female leadership in mainstream cinema.
• Legally Blonde. Shatters stereotypes and proves that femininity and high-level intelligence aren't mutually exclusive. Promotes ambition, resilience, and breaking assumptions.
• Wicked. A major pop-culture moment for this age group. It celebrates an unlikely female friendship and the idea that being "wicked" is often just a label for a woman who stands up for what she believes in.

Source files attached below.