First celebrated in 1911, International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global movement dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women and accelerating progress toward gender equality worldwide.
The theme for International Women’s Day 2026 - “Give to Gain” highlights a powerful truth: when we invest in women and girls, entire communities benefit. Providing girls with access to education, literacy resources, and opportunities leads to stronger economies, healthier families, and more inclusive societies.
Few investments demonstrate this impact more clearly than girls’ education and literacy. Because when girls gain access to education, the world gains progress.
The Global Challenge for Girls’ Education and Literacy
Across the world, millions of girls continue to face barriers to quality education and literacy. According to UNICEF, more than 119 million girls remain out of school, often due to poverty, early marriage, conflict, and gender discrimination.
Even for girls who attend school, access to quality learning materials and literacy resources remains limited. Data from UNESCO shows that women represent nearly two-thirds of the world’s illiterate adults, highlighting the persistent gender gap in global literacy.
These numbers represent far more than statistics.
They represent lost potential and missed opportunities for communities and economies around the world.
Because when girls gain access to education and literacy, the impact extends far beyond the classroom.
Girls who are educated are more likely to earn higher incomes, participate in leadership and community decision-making, and create healthier futures for themselves and their families.
In other words, investing in girls’ education helps build more equitable, prosperous, and resilient societies.
The Power of Literacy for Girls and Underserved Communities
At NABU, we believe literacy is one of the most powerful tools for empowering girls and transforming communities.
Reading unlocks knowledge, confidence, and imagination. It enables children to explore new ideas, see themselves reflected in stories, and develop the skills needed to shape their own futures.
Yet millions of children around the world, particularly those living in underserved and multilingual communities, still lack access to books.
Even when books are available, they are often written in languages children do not speak at home, making early literacy development far more difficult.
That’s why NABU creates culturally relevant storybooks in children’s mother tongues and makes them accessible through our digital reading platforms and community literacy programs.
By ensuring children can read in languages they understand best, we help build the foundation for lifelong learning and educational success.
Championing Girls Through Storytelling
At NABU, advancing gender equality is embedded in the stories we create and the communities we serve.
NABU’s Girls’ Empowerment Collection
NABU has developed a dedicated collection of stories that highlight girls as leaders, innovators, and changemakers. These books encourage confidence, reinforce resilience, and challenge traditional gender stereotypes for young readers across cultures.
By showcasing strong female protagonists, we help young girls see what is possible and help boys grow up recognizing girls as equal partners in shaping the future.
In partnership with Girl Rising and HP, NABU co-created A Dance of Courage, a powerful story that promotes gender equality and empowerment.
The narrative reflects real-life experiences faced by many girls while highlighting themes of courage, leadership, and resilience. Through storytelling, it encourages young readers to challenge limiting norms and believe in their own potential.
Gender equality is not only reflected in our stories, it is embedded within our organization.
Today, 62.5% of NABU’s global team are women, leading literacy programs, developing content, and driving community engagement across our markets.
Their leadership ensures that NABU’s initiatives remain inclusive, gender-responsive, and deeply connected to the communities we serve.
What Will You Give to Help Girls Gain?
This International Women’s Day, you can help accelerate progress for girls through the power of literacy.
Here are a few ways to get involved:
Support Girls’ Literacy and Education
Your donations help provide free, culturally relevant books in native languages for children around the world.
Join our efforts to expand literacy programs and make books accessible to more communities.
Raise Awareness for Girls’ Education and Gender Equality
Use the hashtag #AccelerateAction to share the message about the power of education and literacy in transforming lives. Every action matters. Every story matters.
Because when we give girls access to stories, we give them the power to imagine new possibilities and the confidence to write their own futures.
And when girls gain the power of literacy, the world gains a brighter future for everyone.
Donate
Your donation makes a difference. Join us in our mission to ensure every child has equal access to literacy and learning resources.
THE IMPACT OF YOUR GIFT
NABU is free for children, families, and teachers, thanks to our generous donors. Your donation can make a big difference:
- $25 monthly subscription for one child: Provide access to the NABU app and hundreds of bilingual books for a child and their family
- $45 monthly subscription for one classroom: Gift NABU to a teacher for use in their classrooms to support student learning
- $1,500 to publish a children's book: Support our professional development initiatives, training local artists to create culturally relevant stories for children in their communities, with translations into 25 languages
- $5,000 to sponsor a country-wide children's radio program:Expand our impact through storytelling radio programs across an entire country