Why do we still mark International Women’s Day in 2017?

Some of you may wonder why the world still dedicates one particular day to the celebration of women’s social, economic, cultural and political achievement. Given how far we’ve come, is this really necessary in 2017?

The theme of this year’s IWD is economic empowerment, which is hugely important not just for women but for society as a whole. Yes, there has been hard-won progress over the past 30 years and many employers are hugely committed to gender diversity. But women continue to face barriers in the workplace. This isn’t good for communities or families, and it isn’t good for the economy.

Despite the fact that girls and women now outperform boys and men at school and at university, the gender pay gap remains stubborn. At the current rate of change, the gap will only close in another 62 years. Women also continue to be concentrated in lower paid jobs and absent from senior level roles.

Disabled women and those from ethnic minorities are particularly disadvantaged in the workplace. For example, ethnic minority women are over twice as likely to be unemployed than white women. And disabled women experience bigger drops in average pay than non-disabled women. Too few organisations offer flexible working options which can leave women stuck in low-paid, part-time roles.

We continue to hear about ingrained sexist cultures at work in 2017 – from sexual harassment at some major companies to discriminatory dress codes that have left women with permanent injuries.

So how can we take bold action to address this?

I could lament the problems women continue to face in the workplace but instead I urge everyone to #BeBoldForChange. There is no silver bullet for gender inequality at work. But there are many ways we can begin to tackle it – starting with flexibility.

Employers should consider if roles they are advertising could be flexible, whether this is through compressed or annualised hours, or as part-time or job share arrangements. Not only is this absolutely key to supporting women into new positions and ensuring they fulfil their potential, but it also helps organisations to retain and nurture talent. Simply put, it makes good business sense.

Working Forward is an employer-led network that helps organisations to make their workplaces work for women. This initiative offers practical steps they can take to make sure women feel supported by managers and peers, and able to have open conversations about their needs. Over 100 employers have stepped up to pledge their support to working mums so far. This is fantastic to see, but is only the start. We hope to double this in the next six months.  

Watch the video below to find out more about Working Forward:  

I look forward to discussing these critical issues at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) gathering hosted by UN Women next week. The CSW is dedicated to empowering women all over the globe. It promotes women’s rights, documents the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shapes international standards on gender equality.

At this annual event I will meet campaigners and employers over the course of a week to talk about pregnancy and maternity discrimination, the gender pay gap and the lack of women on company boards. You can follow all of the activity from the event with the hashtag #CSW61 and via the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s twitter handle, @EHRC.