International Women’s Day is a Global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The original aim – to achieve full gender equality for women across the world – has still not been realized and so every year we continue to celebrate the achievements of women while recognizing that there is work to be done to get women an equal voice and on equal footing globally.
The 2018 International Women’s Day (IWD) theme is #PressForProgress; with the idea being that working together we can push for and achieve gender equality and parity. From the International Women’s Day website;
“One of the most powerful ways you can influence how quickly gender parity is achieved is through championing your own #PressforProgress campaign within your own community, network, organisation or group. Each year an annual IWD campaign theme is kicked off on March 8, with its focus and activity supported by groups all year long. The IWD campaign theme unifies direction and galvanises activity to provide a meaningful framework for connected action throughout the year.”
As a young professional woman, this is something that I care deeply about. I want to ensure that I am doing everything in my power to support the women around me in achieving their goals, to inspire all of you amazing readers to pursue your dreams, and to support the growth of women’s rights & gender equality globally. I recognize that I come from a point of privilege for a number of reasons; the least of which is being afforded an education. I pledge this year to #PressforProgress both locally & globally. Today I wanted to share with you 5 ways to get involved / celebrate International Women’s Day. Join me and together let’s make some progress!
1. Participate in an International Women’s Day Event
The IWD website has a list of where IWD events are happening in cities across the globe. Find out what event/events are near you and get out and join in! Events range from talks, to marches to runs! Thursday is, of course, a work day so I know it can be challenging to fit in events. Talk to your employer though and see if you can gather some colleagues and attend an event, even for just a bit!
2. Recognize The Women in Your Day to Day Life!
IWD is the perfect day to recognize and cheer on other women. Compliment colleagues today, message women you know and tell them why you are proud of them, inspired by them, etc. A little bit of positive affirmation & kindness goes a long way.
3. Donate (Money or Time) to a Non-Profit Working on Gender Equality
There are so many non-profits globally that are doing incredible work on the equality front. Find one that resonates with you and donate some money today, or pledge to get involved in one of their upcoming events. Some of my personal favorite non-profits with campaigns and resources being directed at supporting girls and women’s equality are: Plan Canada & Women for Women
4. Educate Yourself
We all get wrapped up in our daily lives. Take some time today (and pledge to do so this year) to educate yourself on women’s rights across the globe. Learn more about gender inequality in your country as well as the issues facing women in other countries.
5. Use Your Voice
In my humble opinion one of the most important things you can do to celebrate International Women’s Day is use your voice. If you are reading this, chances are you are (like myself) in a privileged minority of women. You are literate, have a computer, have access to the internet and are likely a pretty darn bad-ass, awesome woman. Use your voice to talk about women’s issues. Use your voice to educate friends and family on issues of wage gaps, and treatment in your workplace. The more we #PressForProgress the more change we will see locally, nationally and across the globe.
Thank you all SO much for reading this post that means so much to me. Stay tuned on Thursday for what I think will be an AWESOME blog post. In honor of IWD, I will be sharing an outfit that makes me feel strong & confident & talking about one woman who I think is an inspiration.
