Women's History Month provides an opportunity to raise awareness and celebrate the lives and achievements of women, while also remembering the challenges and discrimination they have faced and continues to face. Likewise, International Women's Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day has also marked a call to action for advancing gender equality since 1911.
LSE is proud to present an exciting programme of events and activities for this year's Women's History Month and International Women's Day. Details can be found below.
February 2026
Location: 2.05, LSE Centre Building (CBG)
How can economics help us understand organisations? What is it like to work as an economist at the heart of government?
Ahead of International Women's Day 2026, CEP and the Hub for Representation in the Economy bring together top women economists for conversations about their cutting-edge research, how to affect policy and their advice for making a career in this field. Oriana Bandiera will present her Meaning at Work research, with Anna Leach providing a private sector perspective, both demonstrating how economic insights can improve management and leadership. Anna Valero will share her experience working for the government as an economic adviser in a Q&A session, with Sandra McNally.
There will be a presentation with discussion, a Q&A session, as well as an opportunity afterwards for LSE staff and students to network over food.
This is an event only for LSE staff and students and is not open to the general public. Please register with an LSE email address.
Reserve a spot here
March 2026
The Women’s Library celebrates 100 years with exhibition and year of events
A photograph from the Women's Library archives shows delegates at the World Congress of Women, Moscow 1963.
The Women’s Library at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is celebrating its 100th anniversary during 2026 with a landmark exhibition and year of free events.
As the UK’s oldest and largest collection documenting the history of feminism, campaigning and activism from the late 19th century to the current day, the Library will open its centenary exhibition, The Women’s Library at 100: Celebrating a Century of Collections, on 2 March 2026, during Women’s History Month.
Several pieces from the archive will be on display for the first time, including a drawing of women industrial workers by Sylvia Pankhurst and a portrait of Vera Douie, the Library’s first full‑time librarian, giving visitors an exciting opportunity to see rare items.
Curators will also present new research inspired by the collections, exploring themes such as gender‑equality campaigning, feminist publishing, anti‑ and post‑colonial activism, peace movements and cultural history. Drawing on archives, print media and material culture, the exhibition highlights how the Library’s collections continue to inform contemporary scholarship.
Find out more here
Location: LSE Library Gallery, 10 Portugal Street, London WC2A 2HD
The Women’s Library, the UK’s oldest and largest collection on the history of the women’s movement, is 100 years old.
This new exhibition looks at the history of The Women’s Library and explores its rich and diverse collections from the viewpoint of researchers and their current engagement with it. Through the broad themes of international relations, women’s equality campaigning, political representation, child protection, and feminist publishing, the material highlights the important role women have played in shaping society.
Featuring over 60 items, many on display for the first time, this exhibition represents just a fraction of the extensive history preserved in The Women’s Library—stories of activism, resilience, and progress that continue to inspire today.
The library is free to attend without a ticket, and open to all 7 days a week.
Learn more here about centenary celebrations
Location: LSE Library, 10 Portugal Street, London WC2A 2HD
For the Dear Love of Comrades: Emily Wilding Davison Takes Walt Whitman to the Grave
Join Karen Karbiener for this lunchtime presentation on the extraordinary life and death of radical suffragette Emily Wilding Davison (1872-1913) and her fierce admiration of the revolutionary American poet Walt Whitman (1819-1892). This event is part of the series celebrating the 100th anniversary of The Women’s Library.
Whitman's support of the nascent women's rights movement, inclusive poetry, and embrace of "robust American love" in all forms made him a favorite of female activists on both sides of the Atlantic. After her tragic end at the Epsom Derby, where she stepped onto the race course in support of the WSPU's 'deeds, not words' slogan, Davison was buried with a copy of Whitman's poems in hand. Her annotated Pearls From Walt Whitman was presented to her close friend Mary Leigh shortly before Davison's death, and will be on display along with photos, manuscripts, and objects from the LSE Women's Library.
Learn more and book a ticket here
Location: LSE Campus, TBC to ticket holders
Following the publication of the ‘Women in Diplomacy’ (WiD) inaugural report in June 2024, the WiD team has convened a series of workshops and consultations, internationally, with women diplomats and practitioners to reflect on the findings and deepen understanding of the core barriers and enablers to women’s representation in diplomacy and foreign policy.
The insights gathered from these conversations now inform the second edition of the report, which integrates lived experience with policy-relevant analysis and offers concrete, evidence-based guidance for advancing gender equality in international affairs.
This launch event will present key findings from the report and bring together practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to reflect on lessons from the field and discuss pathways for change. The event offers an opportunity to engage in an open, informed discussion on strengthening women’s representation and leadership in diplomacy.
Find out more and book a ticket here
Location: The Great Hall (Marshall Building, Ground Floor)
The LSESU Women’s Gala is a flagship annual event celebrating the achievements, resilience, and leadership of women+ across the LSE community and beyond.
The gala will bring together students, staff, alumni and guests from outside the community for a vibrant, inclusive, and empowering evening!
There will be snacks and drinks provided, speeches, performances, and lots of fun. Bring all your friends and dress to impress!
Buy a ticket here
Location: Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House; or online
Join us for the LSE Health and Department of Health Policy Annual Lecture 2026 with Michelle A Williams, Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health at Stanford University.
In this lecture Professor Williams will explore how rigorous epidemiological research, innovative data systems, and molecular and digital health tools can advance understanding of women’s health globally. Drawing on her decades of research on reproductive and perinatal outcomes, as well as large-scale studies like the Apple Women’s Health Study, she will highlight how evidence can inform policy, improve population health, and drive meaningful change across health systems worldwide.
Find out more and book a ticket here
Location: Shaw Library, Old Building
We’re delighted to officially invite you to LSE Power’s 2026 International Women’s Day Celebration ✨This year’s theme is “Give to Gain”, celebrating the power of generosity, leadership, and collective impact.
This year, we’re excited to welcome two exceptional speakers:
• Alice Chilver, Founder & CEO of WHEN (Women’s Higher Education Network) Equality – speaking on leadership, resilience, and systemic change.
• Professor Connson Locke, LSE Department of Management – leadership and organisational behaviour expert, exploring power, influence, and culture.
To register for our IWD celebrations, please click here.
PLUS! We’ll be celebrating our REAL ROLE MODELS — inspiring women across LSE who motivate and uplift those around them.
As part of our celebrations, we’ve also opened nominations for LSE Real Role Models 2026. A Real Role Model is someone who inspires, motivates, or supports you in meaningful ways at LSE—through their leadership, kindness, or positive impact on our community.
Nominations are open now.
We look forward to celebrating with you!
Location: Sheikh Zayed Theatre, Cheng Kin Ku Building; or online
Behind every algorithm lies a set of choices, some visible, many not. This panel discusses the unseen forces that shape AI, focusing on how gender bias enters systems through data, design, and deployment.
Hear from leading researchers and policymakers as they unpack the consequences of biased inputs and explore what it takes to build AI that truly serves everyone.
Find out more and book a ticket here
Location: Malaysia Auditorium, Centre Building; or online
Women entrepreneurs are central to economic growth, job creation, and resilience in developing countries. Yet women-led firms remain disproportionately small, informal, and credit-constrained despite evidence of viable business models and strong returns.
This International Women’s Day event will move beyond the familiar story of women being recipients of development programmes and toward a bigger question: what would the global economy look like if women-led businesses had the capital to grow, expand, and create jobs?
Drawing on the International Growth Centre’s (IGC) research and policy engagement, the discussion will explore what holds women-led firms back, what works to support their transition to growth, and how policy, finance, and investment ecosystems must adapt?
The event will combine IGC evidence, policy perspectives, investment insights, and entrepreneurial lived experience, with a focus on practical implications for governments, donors, and investors.
Find out more and register for online attendance here
Location: Old Theatre, Old Building; or online
Join us for a timely conversation on equality, gender and culture in contemporary Britain with Sarah Owen MP, chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee.
At a moment when “culture wars” dominate headlines and seek to divide communities, this event will explore how political and cultural life intersect to shape debates on inclusion, justice and representation. Drawing on her experiences in Parliament and long-standing commitment to equality, Sarah will reflect on the challenges of confronting racism, sexism, transphobia and inequality, as well as the opportunities for building solidarity across communities. The conversation will also consider the role of politicians, activists and cultural leaders in resisting divisive rhetoric and fostering spaces where all identities can be recognised and valued. In dialogue with Rohit K Dasgupta, Associate Professor at LSE Gender, Sarah will share insights from her work and open discussion on how we can collectively push for a fairer and more inclusive Britain.
Find out more and get a ticket here
Location: LSE Library, 10 Portugal Street, London WC2A 2HD
Join us as we open our new exhibition with a reception and gathering of representatives from archival institutions!
This year, the LSE Library is celebrating the centenary of The Women’s Library, the UK’s oldest and largest book, archive, and museum collection, which documents the history of feminism, campaigning, and activism from the late 19th century to the present day.
This event will include a drinks reception with an opportunity to meet with the curators of the exhibition The Women’s Library at 100: Celebrating a Century of Collections, alongside representatives from fellow research and archives institutions,
including:
Stop by anytime between 5–8 pm to see the exhibition, pick up our special edition zine, and meet others interested in feminist history, archives, and activism.
Book a ticket here
Location: MAR.1.04 (Marshall Building)
This event explores how gender, culture, literature, and practices of writing both shape - and are shaped by - Kurdish lifeworlds.
The invited speakers approach these themes from diverse perspectives: some adopt a contemporary political lens, while others draw on archival research. Together, their contributions will spark conversations about the role of culture, literature and writing in times of conflict.
You're invited to join a drinks reception after the event.
Find out more and book a ticket here
Location: LSE Campus, venue TBC to ticketholders
Join us for a special evening celebrating two of the UK’s pioneering forces in environmental justice.
With Black Environment Network (BEN), Women's Environmental Network (Wen) and special guests
This event is part of the series celebrating the 100th anniversary of The Women’s Library.
Founded in the late 1980s, BEN and Wen were among the first organisations to challenge the idea that environmental issues could be separated from racial and gender justice. At a time when the sector largely overlooked women, racialised communities and grassroots leadership, these organisations broke new ground:
- BEN championed multicultural environmental participation and insisted that environmental work must include social and cultural context.
- Wen brought an early gender-sensitive, ecofeminist approach to environmental action, showing how women’s rights, health and environmental justice are intertwined.
Find out more and book a ticket here