Imagine having fewer opportunities just because you are a woman.
Sadly, this is still the experience of women all around the world - and maybe even you as well? Even here, in the UK, equality can still be improved!
March 8th is International Women's Day, a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
This year's theme is ‘Embrace Equity’, which calls on us to create a more equal and just world for all.
Unfortunately, despite many advancements and progress, women around the world continue to face numerous challenges and inequalities.
In sports, women often face unequal pay and opportunities compared to their male counterparts.
In the creative arts, women are underrepresented and often not given the same recognition as men.
In the workplace, women are often paid less than men for doing the same job and are underrepresented in leadership roles.
In terms of health, women face unique challenges and often have to deal with inadequate or insufficient healthcare.
In the tech industry, women are underrepresented and face discrimination and bias.
These issues are not limited to a particular country or region. They are global problems that require global solutions.
Just last December, the Taliban ruled in Afghanistan that women were no longer allowed to go to university. Male students staged walk-outs and female students mourned in their last classes. Still, nothing changed.
One way to address these issues and create a more equitable world for women is through female empowerment. This means giving women the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed and reach their full potential.
This can be done through education, training, and mentorship programs, as well as policies and initiatives that promote gender equality. Could you sponsor a female child? Or encourage a girl in her education? Can you support a female poet or artist?
One of the projects we support, the Shining Star project in Zimbabwe, works with vulnerable women in the sex industry. They teach them new trades or pay for them to get vocational training so that they can support themselves and their families in a healthy way.
Gift (*not her real name) was a university student and needed some money during the pandemic, so she decided to enter sex work. Relationships with her family began to become tense and people would look at her judgmentally. However, because of Shining Star’s work, she was able to qualify for other training to help her make the income she so desperately needed.
Empowering women is not just about helping individual women succeed, but about creating a better world for everyone. When women are empowered, they can contribute to the economic, social, and cultural development of their communities and countries.
On this International Women's Day, let us embrace equity and work together to create a more equal and just world for all. Every woman deserves the opportunity to reach her full potential and make a positive impact in the world.
How can you stand up for and promote women’s equality today? You could support organisations campaigning for these issues abroad; you could research more about stereotypes and the underlying issues females face in the UK and across the world; you can brainstorm ideas to make your family life or work life a more equitable place where all genders thrive.
Take some time to think about what you can do from today.