International Women’s Day 2026 centres on the theme ‘Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.’
The theme speaks to an ongoing reality. Across many countries, women and girls continue to face unequal legal protections, discriminatory practices and structural barriers that limit their participation in public, economic and social life. Justice is not only about laws on paper. It is about whether institutions function fairly and whether women can exercise their rights safely and with dignity.
Progress requires more than commitment. It depends on strengthening institutions, improving systems and ensuring that development investments are inclusive by design.
Across the Indo-Pacific and beyond, Tetra Tech International Development works with the Australian Government and local partners to support programs that embed gender equality and access to justice within development practice. International Women’s Day offers a moment to reflect on how these efforts are taking shape in practice.
Kiribati: Women leading in infrastructure
Economic participation and representation are also central to advancing justice and equality.
In Kiribati, Naomi Temakau leads Squareline Construction, the main contractor delivering the Kiribati Police Service Barracks through the Te Kiribati Australia Infrastructure Program (Te KAI), supported by the Australian Government.
After years working within her family’s construction business, Naomi stepped into leadership following the passing of her partner. She now manages a team largely composed of men in a sector where women are not traditionally represented in senior site roles.
Construction is a place for women too. Anything men can do; we can achieve as well.
Naomi Temakau, Te Kiribati Australia Infrastructure Program
Through Te KAI, Australia is supporting critical public infrastructure while contributing to local capability development and women’s participation in non-traditional sectors. Tetra Tech manages the program on behalf of the Australian Government, working alongside local contractors to integrate inclusive approaches into infrastructure delivery.
Australia Assists: Embedding gender and protection in humanitarian settings
In humanitarian and displacement contexts, advancing gender rights and justice requires systems that respond equitably to the needs of women and girls.
Through Australia Assists, the Australian Government’s humanitarian deployment program, humanitarian and technical specialists work alongside international, national, and local partners to strengthen gender-responsive systems in complex environments.
In Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, Rohingya women are increasingly shaping their future: leading community dialogues, pushing boundaries, and learning new skills and livelihoods. Working with UN Women, deployee Reem has supported initiatives that strengthen women’s leadership and engagement within displacement settings.
In Tonga, deployee Karishma is working to embed gender and protection considerations within humanitarian preparedness and disaster response systems. By centring community consultation and integrating gender-responsive planning into national frameworks, her work supports more inclusive disaster response and preparedness mechanisms.
Through Australia Assists, Tetra Tech manages deployments on behalf of the Australian Government, supporting partners to strengthen institutional capacity and resilience.
Inclusion by design
Advancing rights and justice for women and girls requires more than commitment. It requires systems that are intentionally designed to be inclusive, equitable and accountable.
Explore how Tetra Tech embeds gender equality, disability equity and social inclusion through an intersectional approach across our international development work: Inclusion, Justice and Transformation – Tetra Tech International Development