International Women’s Day 2023-24 ways to embrace equity for all women
Happy International Women’s Day Gal Pals! We are celebrating the opportunity for the empowerment of all women. It’s not an annual celebration if we don’t practice and celebrate the meaning behind this celebration every day of the year.
It starts with you! Empower-Inspire and Unite with other women so we can make a difference!
The International Women’s Day organization has the following missions for 2023 as part of the International Women’s Day 2023 campaign theme: #EmbraceEquity
International Women’s Day 2023 Missions
a. Celebrate the women who are forging change and all women’s achievements
b. Elevate women’s creatives
c. Build workplaces where women can thrive
d. Improve equality in the tech world
e. Forge women’s empowerment worldwide
f. Empower women’s choices in health and wellness
g. Applaud equality in the sports world- recognition of women in sports
“I am a woman and a warrior. If you think I can’t be both, you’ve been lied to.” ― Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar, “The Map of Salt and Stars”
The History Of National Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is celebrated globally on March 8th in North America. The celebration includes social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and advocates for gender equality. The day has been observed since the early 1900s and is now recognized as a global event in many countries around the world.
“A woman is like a tea bag — you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt
For over 100 years, feminists around the world have celebrated the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, all while focusing attention on the work that still needs to be done to speed up gender equality. Embracing change is difficult but essential.
“It’s not about how many times you get rejected or fall down or are beaten up, it’s about how many times you stand up and are brave and you keep on going.”
– Lady Gaga
Improve And Focus More Attention On Women Historical Studies
“National Women’s History Month was established by presidential proclamation in order to draw attention to and improve the focus on women in historical studies.
It began in New York City on March 8, 1857, when female textile workers marched in protest of unfair working conditions and unequal rights for women. It was one of the first strikes by working women and they called for a shorter workday and decent wages.
Also on March 8, 1908, women workers in the needle trades marched through New York City’s Lower East Side to protest child labor, sweatshop working conditions, and demand women’s suffrage. Beginning in 1910, International woman’s day was observed on March 8th.
Women’s History Month
Women’s History Week was instituted in 1978 in an effort to begin adding women’s history into educational curricula. This was a big step toward the awareness of women’s rights.
The first National Women’s History Month was celebrated in the United States in March 1987. The month-long celebration was established by a proclamation from President Ronald Reagan, who declared March as Women’s History Month to recognize the contributions of women throughout American history.
Embracing Equity for Women Is Important For Several Reasons:
1. Promotes Fairness And Justice
Embracing equity for women means treating women and men fairly and justly. It means that women should have access to the same opportunities, resources, and rewards as men. This promotes fairness and justice, which are fundamental values in any society.
2. Improves Economic Outcomes
Studies have shown that gender equity is linked to better economic outcomes. When women are given equal opportunities and resources, they can contribute more effectively to the economy, which can lead to increased productivity, innovation, and competitiveness.
3. Reduces Poverty
Women are more likely to experience poverty than men. Embracing equity for women can help to reduce poverty by ensuring that women have access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.
4. Promotes Social Cohesion
Gender equity can also promote social cohesion by reducing gender-based discrimination and violence. This can lead to a more inclusive and harmonious society, where everyone has equal opportunities to participate and contribute.
5. Enhances Overall Well-being
When women are empowered and have access to resources, they can improve their own well-being and that of their families and communities. This can lead to better health outcomes, education, and overall quality of life.
21 Ways To Embrace Equity For Women
- Educate Yourself
Expand your cross-cultural awareness, reach out to people outside your circle, and engage with them.
2. Become an Ally
Become an ally with other women and support them and ask the right questions and then pay close attention.
3. If You See Sexism & Harassment- Call it out!
4. Raise Strong Girls!
Raise strong girls in your life that they are strong and deserving of the same respect as boys. Make sure they know they are more than their appearance: praise them for their intelligence, strength, leadership, athleticism and so much more. Encourage girls to speak out and assert themselves.
5. Be Authentic & Inspiring. Be Yourself, Loud and Proud.
Support women-owned businesses- We can support women-owned businesses by purchasing their products and services, investing in their ventures, and promoting their work.
“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”
― Maya Angelou
Take time to listen to other women. When they are complaining about discrimination or any other type of social injustice, listen and help them.
6. Be a Good Listener and Empower Others
7. Unite With Your Gal Pals
Enjoy life while you create positive change with the women you love and admire.
8. Mentor Other Women
Mentor and advise women in your industry and organizations including sports. We can mentor and support women in our personal and professional lives. This can include providing guidance, feedback, networking opportunities, and advocating for their advancement.
9. Be a Powerful Leader
With acts of courage, we can together create gender equity for a more prosperous world.
10. Challenge Our Own Biases
We can challenge our own biases and assumptions about gender roles and stereotypes. This can involve examining our own beliefs and behaviors and taking steps to overcome them.
11. Read ‘Invisible Women’ by Caroline Criado Perez
This is a book filled with eye-opening data that will help you understand bias in a world designed by men.
12. Support Women In This Digital Age Online And On Social Media
Amplify women’s voices: Share and amplify the voices of women by sharing their posts, retweeting their tweets, and commenting on their content. This can help promote their work and increase their visibility.
Speak out against sexism and harassment when you see it happening online. This can include reporting abusive behavior, blocking and unfollowing offenders, and supporting victims of online harassment.
13. Listen To Women
Ask women about their experiences and obstacles they face and act on their recommendations.
14. Be A Good Role Model At Home
Who does the housework? Have a balance of tasks for each gender.
15. Stop Judging Women On Their Personal Style Rather Than Their Outcomes
Stop judging women leaders more harshly than male leaders.
16. Be An Ally & Advocate For Women In The Workplace and Elsewhere
Educate others on what microaggressions are and then create environments that do not tolerate them. Notice and challenge microaggressions like ‘stop being so emotional’ or ‘I find you aggressive’ when women are being passionate and challenge them.
17. Hire a Woman If She Is The Best Candidate
Don’t just hire a woman because they are a woman, hire them if they are the best candidate- it sends a message.
18. Celebrate Female Breadwinners
Women out-earn male partners in almost a quarter of households, up from a fifth 16 years ago, according to research by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on behalf of Royal London, the mutual insurer. Rather than stigmatizing them negatively as alpha females. Reading Rocking Your Role, the guide to success for female breadwinners to understand their experience.
19. Raise Boys To Understand & Value Women
On this international women’s day encourage your son to challenge gender stereotypes and advocate for gender equality in all areas of life. This can involve exposing him to a variety of interests and activities, regardless of gender norms, and encouraging him to support women in leadership roles.
Talk to your son about how media and culture can reinforce harmful stereotypes and biases toward women. Encourage him to question and challenge these messages and promote more positive and diverse representations of women.
Create a safe and open environment where your son can ask questions and express his thoughts and feelings about gender and relationships. This can help him develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of women as individuals.
20. Advocate for policies that promote equity
We can advocate for policies that promote gender equity, such as paid parental leave, affordable childcare, and equal access to education and healthcare.
21. Give Equal Opportunity
As a manager, there are several ways you can give equal opportunities to all employees in your team:
- Develop clear job descriptions: Provide a detailed job description for each role in your team, outlining the specific qualifications, skills, and responsibilities required for the position. This will help ensure that everyone has an equal chance to apply for a role and compete fairly for the job.
- Use fair hiring practices: Ensure that your hiring process is fair and unbiased and that you select candidates based on their qualifications and abilities rather than personal biases or prejudices.
- Offer equal training and development opportunities: Make sure that all employees have access to training and development opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge. This can include workshops, mentoring programs, or other forms of training.
- Provide regular feedback: Regularly provide feedback to all employees on their performance, both positive and negative, so that they have a clear understanding of where they stand and how they can improve.
- Encourage diversity and inclusion: Encourage diversity and inclusion in your team by hiring a diverse range of candidates and creating a work environment that values and respects differences.
- Offer flexible work arrangements: Provide flexible work arrangements, such as flexible hours or remote work options, to accommodate the needs of all employees, including those with caregiving responsibilities or disabilities.
- Provide equal opportunities for promotion and advancement: Ensure that all employees have equal opportunities for promotion and advancement within your organization, based on their skills, experience, and performance.
By implementing these strategies, you can create a workplace culture that values equality, diversity, and fairness, and ensures that all employees have an equal opportunity to succeed.
22. Celebrate The Women Rock Stars In Your Life
Hey, we all know a woman who has broken the glass ceiling, is an incredible change maker, and stands up for all women. Celebrate her! It’s important to give credit where credit is due. These are the women we aspire to be more alike.
23. Do Not Tolerate Micro Aggression
Educate people on what microaggressions are and create environments that do not tolerate them. Notice and challenge microaggressions like ‘stop being so emotional’ or ‘I find you aggressive’ when women are being passionate and challenge them.
24. Support Women-Owned Businesses
Support and shop for women-owned brands and businesses! Shop Gal Pal Goods where we feature only women-owned brands- designed for women.
Gender Equality Today Is An Ongoing Challenge
The national holiday deserves to be celebrated because gender equality today is an ongoing challenge.
Every day is a great day to celebrate the amazing women at Gal Pal. It’s what we do. But International Women’s Day is just another opportunity to pause and think about how you can help support the women in your life. The change will not happen until we empower, inspire, and unite with the women in our lives.
Embracing equity for women requires a collective effort. By educating ourselves, speaking out against discrimination, advocating for policies that promote equity, supporting women-owned businesses, mentoring and supporting women, and challenging our own biases, we can all contribute to creating a more equitable world for women.
The Seven Principles Of Women’s Empowerment Principles
- #1: Create high-level corporate leadership for gender equality
- #2: Treat all people fairly at work, respecting and supporting non-discrimination and human rights
- #3: Ensure the health, well-being, and safety of all workers, whether male or female
- #4: Promote education, training, and professional development for women
- #5: Implement supply chain, marketing practices, and enterprise development that empower women
- #6: Champion equality through community initiatives and advocacy
- #7: Measure and report publicly on progress to create gender equality
When women collaborate and work together, compassion and love spread.
Hey listen, I have worked in the corporate world for a long time. I know how women can be with each other, and it’s not pretty. I am not saying all women are “mean girls” but in the corporate world, we see this competitive type of insecurity often.
Unfortunately, we live in a society today that encourages contesting between women. It’s everywhere. Competition of success, looks, scaling the corporate ladder, and so on. I hear stories all the time, about how women tear each other down. It’s always—look at her body, her skin, all her social media likes, and followers, etc. The media have done us no favors… feeding us with unhealthy body images and expectations. This competition has drawn us apart.
“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.”
Oprah Winfrey
