International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrates women’s achievements around the world, with marches and activities taking place to call for positive change to advance women’s rights. We’ve gathered a collection of Kialo Edu debate topics to encourage thoughtful discussion on the wider social context in which IWD was established as well as its recent themes — for 2024, the theme is Inspire Inclusion, which advocates for a more inclusive world for women.
Whether you are looking for a stand-alone activity or to integrate something into your existing lesson plans, we have ready-to-go discussions on Kialo Edu that you can dive straight into or easily edit to suit your class needs.
Debate topics on the history of the women’s rights movement
The first IWD was celebrated in 1911, though its roots go further back. These discussions encourage students to explore and analyze the historical contexts which have shaped and continue to shape women’s rights in the world today.
Is Queen Victoria a feminist figure?
Queen Victoria was head of the British Empire at a time when women still couldn’t vote. Though Queen Victoria didn’t seem to have been a feminist herself, women’s rights activists could point to this contradiction and use it to assert their own claim for suffrage rights.
What does this mean for how we view her today? With this discussion, students can explore the role of women in the Victorian era and try to reconcile the different views of Queen Victoria.
Did women have to use militancy to obtain the vote?
Women gaining the vote was a defining moment in the women’s rights movement. Their journey to achieving it, however, did not always have unanimous support. In this discussion, students will explore the balance between peaceful action and more militant approaches to achieving suffrage.
Should foreign intervention be used to protect women’s rights?
Developing students’ political literacy skills means they are aware of global issues and have a better chance of becoming informed, engaged citizens. This discussion offers opportunities for students to explore the historical, social, cultural and political contexts where foreign intervention had a lasting impact on women’s rights.
Debate topics on IWD 2024: #InspireInclusion
Every year, the IWD organization proposes a theme through which to approach the day and year ahead. The following debate topics are a great way for students to explore this year’s theme: #InspireInclusion. This theme advocates for a world where women’s needs, interests, and voices are valued and included.
Should there be quotas for women in government?
This discussion encourages students to consider why there aren’t more women in leadership positions in government and whether gender quotas are the best way to address this. They will look at the arguments for and against gender quotas from the perspective of male and female candidates, as well as the people who ultimately choose their representatives: the voters.
Should there be quotas for women in STEM?
Despite growing efforts, there is still an underrepresentation of women in STEM careers. This discussion prompts students to consider the stereotypes and attitudes that can act as a barrier to women’s full inclusion in STEM spaces, and explore whether quotas are a fitting response.
Should companies have quotas for women in top-level positions?
This discussion returns to quotas and whether they can help ensure female workers get the same opportunities as their male counterparts when it comes to climbing the career ladder all the way to the top. Your students will explore whether quotas help or harm female and male employees, and the potential impact of having women as leaders in such positions.
Should there be women-only prizes for art?
Do women-only art prizes ensure the art world celebrates female artists? Or, do they mark a difference between men and women, where none is needed? This discussion invites students to examine attitudes towards women in the art world, asking whether efforts to ensure female representation are more divisive than inclusive.
Should religions treat all genders equally?
Our Topics Library includes a selection of discussions looking at the diverse perspectives around women’s roles within different religions. Students will explore the historical, social, cultural, and theological dimensions that shape the discourse surrounding this topic. You might have students consider whether women should be able to take on Christian leadership roles, or whether religions should treat all genders equally.
Should menstrual products be provided by the government?
School absenteeism and withdrawal from sports and social activities are just some of the reported impacts of period poverty. Access to free menstrual products is often suggested as one way of addressing this issue, with campaigners calling for governments to be inclusive by providing them to anyone who needs them.
Use this discussion to promote thoughtful discourse, while helping your students get to grips with the arguments for and against such a policy.
If you are interested in dedicating more time to using Kialo Edu with students to explore IWD, there are plenty more class ideas available. Take a look at some ideas for using our topics or explore how Kialo can support debate training!
We would love to hear about how you approach teaching about IWD in your classes, so please do get in touch with your ideas at feedback@kialo-edu.com, or on any of our social media platforms.
