Will Women Ever Reach the Top of the Mountain?
March 8th is International Women's Day. It is a day to celebrate women working together to climb a little closer to the summit. It is a day to gather the crew and plan the rest of the journey to the top.It will continue to be a challenging climb. At the top of the mountain though, is not a sharp, precarious peak, but a safe and beautiful plateau, that holds equal space for everyone to stand tall and proud.
Why do we need an International Women’s Day?
Because;
47,000 women and girls were killed by their male partners or family members in 2020 – and those are only the deaths we know about.
In Australia, one woman is killed in a domestic violence incident each week.
47 countries still have no repercussions for husbands who rape their wife.
2.7 billion women are legally restricted from having the same choice of jobs as men.
Australia has a gender pay gap of 13.3%.
45 countries do not have specific laws against domestic violence.
30% of women globally have experienced sexual or physical violence in their lifetime.
Millions of women globally do not have sovereignty over their own bodies. Here in Australia, rights to terminate differ state to state. Horrifyingly, large parts of the United States have rewound decades of progress and once again made termination a criminal offence.
Many women deny being subjected to gender discrimination. This is incredible progress, but sadly seldom true, discrimination is often so innate that we don’t even recognise it.
If not you, it is your friend, sister, aunty, wife, girlfriend, lover or stranger standing next to you. She is invisible if standing alone, when we stand together she can’t not be seen.
Where it all began
Women first began to find a collective voice in the years following WWI, the war had forced women into spaces previously occupied only by men. We embraced our new roles in society and sought to protect and nurture our previously ignored value. Women rose up in movements across Europe and North America.
In 1910, at the second ever International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, German politician and activist, Clara Zetkin, proposed an International Women's Day. The proposal was unanimously accepted by over 100 women representing 17 countries. The inaugural International Women’s Day was held the following year. Meetings, protests and marches were held across Europe, the largest of which attracted over 30,000 women.
In 1913, International Women's Day claimed the 8th of March as its own and celebrations have been held on that day every year since. Every decade has presented new challenges and incredible victories, everything from voting rights to access to contraception and termination services.
What does International Women’s Day mean today?
The day continues to be a time to;
CELEBRATE the achievements of the incredible women who have gone before us.
SUPPORT those who continue the fight in the present day.
EDUCATE the next generation who will continue the climb.
International Women’s Day is a call to action for everyone, women and men to continue to build support for women's right to participate equally in economy, politics, religion and family.
Women’s Rights Are Human Rights
The 2023 International Women’s Day theme is #EmbraceEquity. Embracing equity means challenging gender stereotypes, calling out discrimination and bias, and seeking inclusion for all.
Embracing Equity means asking the hard questions of ourselves.
Why isn’t equal opportunity enough?
Are enforced diversity metrics really equity?
What is the difference between equity and equality and can one be true without the other?
Is equal opportunity really fair?
To #EmbraceEquity, we must first understand the difference between equity and equality. The terms are often used interchangeably but are inherently different.
Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities.
Equity recognises that each person has different circumstances, and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.
We are taught from an early age that “fair” means everyone gets the same. But if an individual does not have the means or ability to utillise what they are given is that really fair.
For example:
Two hungry people are given an apple each for afternoon tea. This appears fair and equal. Both people have equal opportunity to relieve their hunger. But one person doesn’t have any teeth, so cannot eat the apple and remains hungry. Without equitable resources, the equal opportunity is meaningless.
In many countries, women have the right to vote but not the right to the education required to make that vote count.
Historically, it is marginalised communities such as women, people of colour, people with disability, the economically disadvantaged, and those from the LGBTQ+ community that are most affected by inequity.
The goal of equity is to change systemic and structural barriers that limit people's ability to thrive.
What does International Women’s Day mean to FitHer?
Here at FitHer;
We believe in a woman's right to be uniquely and authentically her.
We are grateful for those brave individuals who have pathed the way for us to celebrate each other in a way that feels safe and powerful.
We recognise that we have a role to play in highlighting women's issues and educating our community in matters often bigger than themselves.
We have come so far - do we still need International Women’s Day?
The early days of the women's movement saw massive advances in rights and respect. In some ways the fight for equality is only getting harder as the victories are less tangible and seemingly less monumental, but like any marathon, the last few miles are often the hardest. Sadly, the World Economic Forum doesn’t expect gender parity to be achieved in our lifetime or perhaps even the next. So if humanity is to continue to strive to evolve socially, morally and ethically on all levels, women must unite globally and make themselves heard above the noise.
Get involved
International Women’s Day events are positive action events designed to educate, empower, inspire and motivate. There are events happening all over the world and all over social media and the web. Every little engagement helps to facilitate change for the betterment of all humans.
Find out more about International Women’s Day:
International women’s Development Agency
Find an event near you
Use International Women's Day search tool to find an event near you