Gifts won’t build gender equality, transformative spaces will.

The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.- Gloria Steinem

This year, Women’s Day will be celebrated under the theme ‘Inspire Inclusion’. The theme emphasizes the importance of diversity and empowerment in all aspects of society and calls for action to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create environments where all women are valued and respected. International Women's Day honours the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, while also highlighting critical issues that continue to hinder their ability to thrive in their personal and professional lives.

International Women’s Day is often used by many employers as an opportunity to do the bare minimum for their employees. In our transformative spaces, women say the month of March is more about spa vouchers, goodie bags, feel-good campaigns, and motivational speakers than actual inclusion and change. We have also witnessed public recognition events held by employers and the government just for one day. While we acknowledge these efforts to build camaraderie and raise awareness, it's crucial to ask ourselves: is this enough? Are these initiatives enough to truly address the everyday issues that women face? Do these efforts speak to what women really want on International Women’s Day? Women want more. They appreciate the spa and gift vouchers and the half-days at work, but they crave more. They want spaces where they can be seen and heard. Most importantly, they want real solutions that speak to their lived realities.

At WomaNiko Transforming Spaces, we #InspireInclusion by hosting transformative Fireplace Conversations both online and in person. These safe and generative spaces give a voice to women and help them engage with difficult questions arising out of their lived experiences.

They also work collectively with others to generate ideas that will bring about necessary change. To ensure sustainable change, we take our Fireplace Conversations to the workplace where women spend most of their time. Our goal is to support employers who are deliberate about transformation to ensure their culture and organisational architecture promote the full integration, recognition, and growth of women at all levels.

How will this benefit your company? What is the return on investment (ROI) for this initiative?

Investing in inclusive spaces for women employees isn't just about social responsibility; it's a strategic investment that fuels innovation, attracts top talent, and propels the company's success.

Under this year’s theme for International Women’s Day, we will be running a campaign from the 4th of March 2024 until the 22nd of March 2024, targeting employers. The purpose of the campaign is to encourage employers to take deliberate actions to engage employees during March through transformative spaces on gender equality. These spaces generate qualitative feedback on experiences of inclusion in workplaces while innovating contextual solutions to improve gender equality and inclusion in your workplace. Please contact us at [email protected] to plan your transformative space for a meaningful International Women’s Day Month.