International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent
A/RES/78/323
A/RES/78/323
This authority record treats the observance as a fixed annual date. The same month and day can be reused unless a stronger source changes the rule. Public-holiday or government status is never inferred from the observance name alone.
Overview
The International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent is observed on 25 July. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed it in 2024 to recognize contributions and to draw attention to intersecting racial and gender discrimination.
The observance sits within broader UN work on racism, gender equality, human rights and people of African descent. Coverage should avoid treating women and girls of African descent as a single homogeneous population.
Why it matters
The Day highlights both contribution and inequality. Its UN framing points to the effects of racism and gender discrimination in areas such as health, education, economic opportunity, safety, representation and public decision-making.
Useful material should be specific about country and context, because experiences, terminology, data quality and legal frameworks vary widely across regions.
History
Brazil and Colombia submitted draft resolution A/78/L.96, supported by a broad group of additional sponsors.
On 13 August 2024, the General Assembly adopted the text as A/RES/78/323 and proclaimed 25 July as the International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent.
UN News described 25 July 2025 as the first observance of the International Day.
How the observance developed
This timeline is assembled only from verified provenance fields. Missing stages are omitted rather than inferred.
Brazil and Colombia
The UN Digital Library identifies Brazil and Colombia as the named authors of draft resolution A/78/L.96, with many additional sponsors.
United Nations General Assembly
A/RES/78/323
First documented observance
UN News described 25 July 2025 as the first observance following the 2024 General Assembly proclamation.
What the evidence establishes
Verified institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Fields that the reviewed sources do not establish remain fail-closed and are available below without competing with the confirmed record.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
Ways to observe
Use disaggregated, well-sourced data when discussing health, education, employment or representation and state clearly what geography and population the data covers.
Highlight the work and leadership of women and girls of African descent rather than framing the observance only around disadvantage.
Examine how racial and gender discrimination can overlap without assuming identical experiences in every country.
Support credible organizations led by or accountable to the communities whose experiences are being discussed.
Useful facts
The Day is observed on 25 July.
Brazil and Colombia were the named authors of draft A/78/L.96.
The General Assembly adopted A/RES/78/323 on 13 August 2024.
The first official observance took place on 25 July 2025.
The reviewed institutional sources establish the date but do not provide a sufficiently explicit historical explanation for selecting exactly 25 July.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Repeated links from the authority record, institutional provenance and editorial guide research are consolidated here. Badges show how each source is used; a contextual source is never treated as proof of establishment on its own.
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/78/323 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Digital Library — draft A/78/L.96 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Office at Geneva / UN News — first observance, 25 July 2025 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — International Day for Women and Girls of African Descent (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — List of International Days and Weeks (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — Observances: who chooses them and how (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then use reviewed distinctions and related authority records to understand where this observance fits.
Frequently asked questions
When is International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent?
25 July The stored recurrence guidance is: 25 July.
Does International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent fall on the same date every year?
The authority record classifies it as fixed annual, so its month and day are reusable unless stronger evidence changes the rule.
Is International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent an official public holiday?
The authority record verifies it within this scope: United Nations / international observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when the supporting authority record explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent?
The reviewed provenance layer identifies United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Brazil and Colombia.
Is International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent international or country-specific?
The record has international or global institutional scope: United Nations / international observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual layer is source-backed and keeps its date rule, scope, provenance and editorial guardrails attached to the authority record. This record was checked on 2026-09-05.
When is the International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent?
It is observed every year on 25 July.
When did the UN establish it?
The General Assembly adopted A/RES/78/323 on 13 August 2024.
When was the first official observance?
UN News identified 25 July 2025 as the first observance following the 2024 proclamation.
Other observances on July 25
These records also resolve to July 25, 2027 under the current authority data.
Anexión del Partido de Nicoya
Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Education marks 25 July as the anniversary of the Annexation of the Partido de Nicoya.
Annexation of the Partido de Nicoya
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Auntie's Day
Founder Melanie Notkin states that she established Auntie's Day in 2009; a founder-issued release explicitly says it is observed every fourth Sunday in July.
Día de la Constitución (Day of the Constitution)
Puerto Rico Act No. 1 of August 1, 1952 declares July 25 of each year a legal holiday designated as the Day of the Constitution.
Fiestas Patronales de Santiago — Somoto
Nicaragua’s official National Tourism Map describes Somoto’s patronal celebrations honoring Santiago around 25 July and notes an extended festival period.
International Day for Judicial Well-being
A/RES/79/266