As a "career woman", I thank you! ...and let's keep pushing for change!

It is International Women’s Day and it is 2024. This topic and “debate” has been a fervorous one for me, since I can remember. This date stirs me inside not only because I am so passionate about equality for women (it's not a day to just give a rose to a woman), but because it is also the date that I lost one of my dearest girlfriends. I have a love/hate relationship with March 8th. And today I will try to use all the energy this date causes in me for something good: I'd like to send a THANK YOU NOTE and share a CALL TO ACTION!

My reflection on IWD brings me back to so many fantastic women who have positively impacted my career and/or been journeying with me through life, so many keep making an impact, even if we are not on our day-by-day anymore. I am so lucky to have had this experience of having powerful women AND also men supporting me, and treating me as an equal.

But still, I was not immune to challenges as a "career woman". And I carry and feel some of them to this day.

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All of us women had to give up something here or there to be able to chase our careers (and our DREAMS!) so passionately because society is not set up / operating in a way that gives a leveled playing field for women to succeed professionally. Some countries do better than others, but in all the places I’ve lived, I’ve seen/heard/experienced challenges in that area.

Many of us have been criticized/judged for not prioritizing having a family or taking care of our households. For not conforming to the expectations their gender imposes (I still am!)

I and many others had to deal with sexism and "macho culture", a lack of respect or trust in our abilities to do things "the same way men can do" at some point in our professional careers... Unfortunately, in 2024, so many women still do!

However, I must say that I am more privileged than most because I have worked in amazing organizations that value all types of individuals, giving equal opportunities to all, and where I always felt supported and valued as a professional and as a person, regardless of my gender.

So I must start with the THANK YOU part! I thank FESA Group, Logitech, Beenova AI, PVH Corp., WAP Sustainability, and the people I worked there with - Obrigada! Thank you! Merci! Dankjewel! 谢谢!

And, well, If I have to start talking about the impacts that Thriving Talent and Asante Africa Foundation had, not only on my career/life but in the careers/lives of thousands of other girls and women all around the world, I would need a blog post, just for that! So, to you, Thank you! Merci! Asante sana!

Now... some data and a CALL TO ACTION!

Since 2013 on IWD, The Economist has published their "annual measure of the role and influence of women in the workforce". After more than 10 years, data shows that the "pace of change has been glacial, but in most places, things are at least moving in the right direction" - I suppose we take it as a win!

A data point that I find strong shows us that "in almost every OECD country women graduate from university in greater numbers than men. Yet they make up a lower share of the workforce across our index…The gap in labour participation rates means that fewer women climb the corporate ladder, which feeds into the gender wage gap. In the OECD women earn around 12% less than men"

Well, we all know the three-digit number that will take the world to bridge this gap, and this new data just reiterates that we have to keep pushing the agenda!

Their edition this year brings several other articles and data for us to consume, including one article on the relationship between being successful and being thin for women (almost a basic rule in the country where I was born) and how gender roles and motherhood still impact significantly on women's lives.

Call to action: How can you be an ally and support women around you who relate to any of what's been written here in their journey for equality?

Another one I follow closely is the United Nations entity for gender equality & the empowerment of women & girls (UN WOMEN). This year's International Women's Day campaign is led by their Ambassador Ann Hathaway (HERE) and has the theme ‘Invest in women: Accelerate progress’?.?It's worth reading it and watching the video:

Call to action: Could you do something in your community / city / region / country to invest in women to help accelerate their progress?

If you don't have an idea where to start, I can help you with that! :)

1-) Personally, MAKE A DONATION to Asante Sana for their IWD campaign - I have volunteered with them for a long time and respect and admire Erna Grasz (and her work) so much! These girls deserve the best, let's help them out!

2-) At work, if you don't have internal DEIB initiatives, advocate for investment in education on it. Be it training/workshops, bringing speakers, or creating programs, help increase exposure in your workplace/community around the topic!

As I mentioned, I highly recommend the work done by Thriving Talent. I am sharing this because I really believe in the work being done by my friends and colleagues Natalie Wilkins , Deborah Croft , Eleanor Nevill, and the entire team there to move the needle in the entire DEI topic! They are basically the vanguard of DEI in Switzerland and they are now already making an impact all around the world!

Check Thriving Talent's post today on how they are "shaping a world where women's achievements are revered, where their leadership is expected, and where their potential is unlimited".

So, yes, this reflection helped me a lot today. And I appreciate your reading my thoughts. And I will say it again: I thank you ...and let's keep pushing for change!

#iwd2024?? #investinwomen #accelerateprogress #inspireinclusion

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