IT has been nearly 50 years since the United Nations first recognized International Women’s Day, and 115 years since more than 1 million people across Europe marked the first celebration of what would become a global movement. Today, the month of March is filled with conferences, campaigns and hashtags honoring women for “holding up half the sky” and calling for greater gender equality.
Each year also comes with a theme. When I learned that 2026’s theme is “Give to Gain,” my first reaction was blunt: Women don’t need a memo to be generous. We already are.
But the more I reflected — especially against the backdrop of rising tribalism, “othering” and zero-sum politics dominating public discourse — the more I realized this theme may not be for women at all. It may be a reminder for everyone else.
Let’s begin with the word “generosity.” It traces back to the Latin genus, meaning “of noble birth.” Over centuries, the meaning evolved. Nobility became less about lineage and more about action: big-heartedness, magnanimity, a willingness to give without demanding immediate return.
Modern science affirms what ancient wisdom suggested. Neuroscience shows that generosity activates the brain’s reward system; people who give display stronger markers in regions associated with empathy and happiness. Acts of giving, particularly toward those close to us, reduce activity in the amygdala, the part of the brain tied to stress and fear. Research from institutions such as the Max Planck Institute has even linked generosity to longer lifespans.
Organizational psychologist Adam Grant popularized the idea of “givers” and “takers.” While takers pursue self-interest at any cost, “otherish givers” create long-term value by building trust and strong networks. They often rise to the top, not despite their generosity, but because of it.
Economists make their case, too. Philanthropy, corporate social responsibility and large-scale pledges are grounded in the belief that giving can help address inequality and market failures.
All compelling arguments. But I want to bring this conversation closer to home.
In the communities where I have worked — from remote mountain villages lit only by kerosene lamps to dense urban neighborhoods where families stretch every peso through small enterprises — I have seen what happens when women are given new knowledge.
Teach a woman how to build a solar lamp by hand, and she will not only light her own home. She will teach her neighbor. She will organize a group. She will think about how technology can power a small business, fund her child’s education and reduce the smoke that makes her cough at night.
Introduce refill systems to cut single-use plastics, and she will not merely comply. She will mobilize others, redesign household routines and build a business while advocating for cleaner waterways.
Whether this instinct is socialized or innate is an academic debate. The practical truth is this: When you invest in women, women multiply the investment.
One community organizer from my ancestral hometown embodies this truth. Like many women, she balances childcare, household management and income generation. Her schedule’s already full, yet she volunteers countless hours coordinating hundreds of families for our clean energy projects.
I once asked her why.
“As long as I am here and alive,” she said, “I feel a responsibility to give what I can so that others will have a lighter, happier future.”
There is nobility in that. Not the nobility of title, but of choice.
So this March 8, if you are wondering what “Give to Gain” means, consider that the call may not be directed at women who are already giving, often invisibly, often without applause. It may be directed at leaders, institutions and individuals who still view generosity as optional, or as weakness in a competitive world.
Give your time, your talent or your resources to organizations rooted in real community work, where impact is measured.
Mentor someone. Much of what shaped my own journey came from women and men who guided me, sometimes formally, often informally. Access to wisdom can alter a life’s trajectory.
If you hold power, open doors. Invite women into rooms where decisions are made. Better yet, make space at the table, then step back and let them lead. Many transformative ideas do not come from the loudest or most senior voices in the room.
“Give to Gain” is not a transactional slogan. It’s a reminder that in a world increasingly fractured by fear and scarcity thinking, generosity isn’t naïve. It is strategic. It builds trust, resourcefulness and shared prosperity.
We face complex, intertwined challenges, from climate change to economic inequality to social polarization. None will be solved by hoarding power or clinging to narrow self-interest.
If generosity once meant noble birth, perhaps today it means noble responsibility.
Women understand the assignment. The question is whether the rest of us do.
Ami Valdemoro Diaz is a social entrepreneur and leadership coach. She serves as managing director of Dana Asia Philippines and holds a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
