It’s not over.
Yesterday I wanted to celebrate the one day that the world pays a little more attention to women. I really did. But then I thought about how very far we have to go to achieve equality. And how despite some gains in some areas basic rights are being stripped from women. Around the world and here at home.
International Women’s Day can’t be about brands donating to a cause. It can’t be about declaring that things must change and then continuing on with the status quo. It shouldn't be about the shock of just how long it's going to take until we reach equality (by the way, according to the United Nations, we're on track to reach global equality in about 286 years).
International Women's Day is not about making commitments. It's about action. It's about actually creating permanent, culture-shifting, forward-moving, difference-making change that stays present in our minds and in our wallets and in our decision making.
As individuals we can be more educated and more mindful of the organizations and people we are supporting with our dollars and our advocacy. As companies we can bring women into leadership roles so that their perspectives can inform the way decisions are made and policies are created and we can support what women need to do their jobs well across every level. As countries we can use our diplomatic engagements to support and encourage gender equality within the global community.
In truth, International Women's Day is not about today. It's about the future. A permanently better, equal, equitable future for all of us.
Today is March 9, 2023. Ask yourself, are you still thinking about gender equity? Does it permeate your decision making? Because yesterday isn’t actually what was important. Today is. And tomorrow. And an equitable world for women.
