Call for Participation: International Women’s Day Poem Competition 2025 (Nepal)

Theme

• The theme for International Women’s Day, 8 March 2025 (IWD 2025) is, “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment” (“सबै महिला र छोरीहरूको अधिकारः समानता र सशक्तिकरणको हकदार”).

Objectives

• The primary goal of the competition is to raise awareness among young students and children, providing them with opportunities to express their thoughts and voice. It aims to expedite the realization of gender equality and empower women and girls by tackling poverty, enhancing institutions, and incorporating a gender perspective into financial initiatives.
  • To reflect on the status of women and share opinions and concern
  • To advocate for investments in women and girls’ equality
  • To encourage students to creatively express their ideas through poetry
  • To nurture oratory and creative skills among students

Topics

• This year, UNDP Nepal, in partnership with UNHCR Nepal, will observe International Women’s Day (IWD) under the theme: ‘For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.’ As part of the celebration, they will organize the Sixth Edition of the National and Provincial Poetry Competition under the topic:
  • Rights. Equality. Empowerment. For all women and girls.
  • Heatwave impact on marginalized groups such as women, children, elderly, and other vulnerable groups.

Focus Areas

• This year’s International Women’s Day, celebrated under the theme “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” to mark the 30th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, serves as a call to action in three key areas:
  • Advance women’s and girls’ rights: Fight relentlessly for women’s and girls’ full range of human rights, challenging all forms of violence, discrimination, and exploitation.
  • Promote gender equality: Address systemic barriers, dismantle patriarchy, transform entrenched inequities, and elevate the voices of marginalized women and girls, including young people, to ensure inclusivity and empowerment.
  • Foster empowerment: Redefine power structures by ensuring inclusive access to education, employment, leadership, and decision-making spaces. Prioritize opportunities for young women and girls to lead and innovate.

Eligibility Criteria

• Provincial Level Poetry Competition
  • All public schools from all seven provinces of Nepal are eligible to participate in the poetry competition. The schools identified as model schools by the Government of Nepal and those led by women principals are particularly encouraged to apply. Schools should invite students from grade VIII to XII to submit poems in line with the competition’s objective and theme. Schools wishing to participate must fill in the online registration form and fifteen schools will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Invites and concept notes will be shared with the participating schools.
  • The participating schools are responsible to provide the name of the best poet along with their written poem and consent form (for students between Grade VIII to XII) to the respective UNDP Field Offices, to participate in the virtual Provincial level Poetry competition.
  • Schools from rural and hilly areas of Nepal with poor internet bandwidth are encouraged submit their written & recorded poems in advance, along with consent form to the respective UNDP field offices, at least 3 days prior to the Provincial Level Poetry Competition.
  • The Provincial Level poetry competition will be organized by UNDP Field offices virtually on Wednesday, 26th February 2025 from 10:00 hours to 13:00 hours tentatively. The three best poets (1st, 2nd & 3rd) from each province will be selected, and one of the best poets (1st poem/winner) recommended by the jury from each province will enter the National level Poetry Competition. The National Finale round will be live through UNDP Nepal Facebook.
  • Each province’s UNDP Field Office will coordinate with the schools in their region.
• National Level Poetry Competition
  • The National level poetry competition, organized by UNDP & UNHCR Nepal in virtual/hybrid modality will be organized on Friday, 7th March 2025 from 10:00 hours to 13:00 hours tentatively.
  • The seven Provincial Winners will recite their poems. The three best poets will be selected, and their poems published on UNDP & UNHCR Nepal websites, social media, publications etc.
  • The program will also be livestreamed via UNDP Nepal’s Facebook.
• Participation
  • The competition is open to the students from Grade VIII to XII of Nepal either from the public model schools and or other public schools that have been identified by educational professionals and are led by women Principals from all seven provinces of Nepal. The selected participants should provide duly filled online google form which will be shared by UNDP Nepal. The students belonging to Dalit, Indigenous, Madhesi, Muslims, persons with disabilities, refugees, gender and sexual minorities, and marginalized community etc. are highly encouraged to participate in the competition.
• Child Protection
  • The participating schools should ensure that:
    • Students under 18 years have their parent/legal guardian sign a consent form related to the submission of private data.
    • Students over 18 years must provide consent for themselves on the issue of data privacy.
    • Use of Image / Livestream Consent form for the students and judges.
    • Scanned copies of the parent’s ID form are required  for students who are below 18 years.
• UNDP county office/ field office and UNHCR Nepal will ensure the parent and child consent forms are signed prior to the competition.

Application Requirements

• Poetry must be self-composed; plagiarism from online sources, publications, or external assistance will result in disqualification.
• Poems can be recited in Nepali, English, or any native language.
• Each candidate will have 5 minutes to recite their poems.
• Judging criteria include:
  • Content of the Poem
  • Expression and Body Language
  • Articulation
  • Delivery & Style
  • Innovation & Uniqueness
• The jury’s decision will be final and binding for all candidates.

For more information, visit UNDP.