International Women’s Day #EmbraceEquity – What does it mean to you and your organisation?

By Toyin Higgs , WME

This Years IWD comes at a time where there is a high level of scrutiny on gender inequality it’s a timely reminder of how important it is to #EmbraceEquity.?In previous years we’ve had themes such as 'each is equal’ which like this year has enabled us to celebrate womanhood whilst recognising that equity remains a work in progress. Marches in Central London over the weekend underline the challenges and impact that remain for equity to be genuinely meaningful and reflect a world that is safer and happier for all. We’re not yet in a place where misogyny and its various forms are actions confined to the past and its evident that there is so much work to do with this.

For me, International Women’s Day is about the reaffirmation of the positives. It’s also a time to reflect on lessons that we’ve learnt over the previous 12 months and an opportunity to make new commitments for the next 12. It’s a time when lots of us utilise our postings to raise awareness of the state of play and to highlight both the good and the challenges that women across the world encounter. I know there is much debate as to whether such a day is needed at all, but for me the overriding view of IWD is that it’s an event and a force for good and a stark reminder that to achieve genuine equity, we’re still in the process of making that happen.?

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Each year on and around March 8th it’s the opportunity to carryout activities and reflection. Over several years now I have been able to plot exactly what I was doing on March 8th. Some highlights that spring to mind is Coaching Cricket to schoolgirls in Stoke-On-Trent, speaking to community groups, speaking at conferences, and generally taking in all that the day/week has to offer. It’s another opportunity to raise visibility and is a timely reminder that we can and should do things differently. As an event its established as one where we say, ‘what will you be doing for IWD. The beauty of it, is IWD is not confined to the fixed date of events providing us all with a bit more scope to attend events.

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Where we can, the events we take part in are of critical importance,?but so too is the process of change. What we will do from March 8th 2023 – March 7th 2024 is what will determine whether we made our time count and whether our Allies stepped up. We’ll have a new theme in 2024 but critically will the dial on equity have shifted and what part will we play in having made that happen?

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If you have the opportunity on or around March 8th you too may consider the commitments, you will look to make over the next 12 months as individuals and or organisations. Look out for WME’s calendar of events in our promotional material over the next 12 months.?

Whether you’re in meetings today or attending special events:?Happy IWD to you all. And Happy IWD to my colleagues at WMEmployers

?#IWD #IWD23 #IWD2023 #internationalwomensday #workplace