international women’s day
Celebrating International Women’s Day
For over a century, International Women’s Day, held on 8 March each year, has marked a day of celebration and advocacy for women’s rights and equality around the world.
Inspired by Workflowmax blog post, we share few excellent ways that you, your team and your community can celebrate International Women’s Day this year and do your part to advocate for gender equality.
Donate to charity
If you’re looking for a way to make a difference in a worthy cause this March, consider donating to a charitable organisation supporting women – either locally or globally.
On 9 March 2021, Community Empowerment Support Organisation (CESO), a British education charity started up by British Federation of Women Graduates (BFWG) member Rita Edmond, will hold an online fundraising event to celebrate women’s day and the empowerment of girls in rural Sierra Leone. The fund raised through the event will be directed toward the completion and the furnishing of the Ivor Leigh Memorial School Nursery and Vocational Centre for young women in Kaningo, a city on the outskirt of Freetown, Sierra Leone. On this occasion, BFWG President Patrice Wellesley-Cole, will speak on the importance of female education in disadvantaged communities. Click HERE to learn more about the event on zoom and register.
Host or attend an online panel
Hearing women share their experiences, knowledge, and advice is one of the best ways to get inspired to make change. This year, as most of the world is gathering online instead of in-person, there are tons of great virtual events planned for International Women’s Day.
As you’re planning your celebrations, research some interesting events in your industry or community and encourage your friends, family, or team to register with you. Here’s a list of a few events to get you started:
- The sixty-fifth session of the Commission on the Status of Women /15 to 26 March 2021: Priority theme – Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. The calendar of CSW65 side events is now available on the UN Women website, which may be found here: https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw65-2021/side-events [Free]
- L’egalite salariale entre femmes et hommes en Europe un droit fundamental a realiser / 11 March 2021: Anne Negre, UWE President, Vice President INGO Conference CoE will give a speech about the collective complaints at this video conference in french. Click here to register [Free]
- She-EO’s Virtual 2021 Summit/ March 8-9th: Hear from cutting-edge thinkers, innovators, and women working on the ‘World’s To-Do List’ on what’s next for the economy, education, food security, housing and more. [Free]
- Women in Tech’s Tech(Know) Day /March 8: This online conference will showcase women in tech (cis, trans, non-binary) and their craft, as well as career, personal development, business and strategy insight. [Free]
Acknowledge the awesome women in your life
Sometimes, simple words of encouragement and love can go a long way in lifting someone up and inspiring them to keep going. Whether it’s your mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, girlfriend, or friend – send a text, call an important woman in your life to let them know how awesome they are.
Happy International Day
Mothers, Daughters, Visionaries, Queens, Rulers, Women!
Join the GWI Young Members Network in celebrating International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day 2020: 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration
In 1995, the UN’s 4th World Conference on women adopted Beijing Declaration, a resolution regarding the empowerment and advancement of women around the world. It set out strategic objectives to achieve gender equality in 12 areas, including the economy, violence against women, women in power and women and the environment.
In light of increasing global concerns of the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) a conference to mark the anniversary of the Beijing Declaration planned by European Parliament’s women’s rights committee for 5 March was cancelled, the 64th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW64) was significantly sized down to a one-day procedural meeting with Member States’ New York-based representatives. Although the political statement and multi-annual work programme has been approved at this meeting, women’s civil society organisations from around the world missed this unique moment to bring the collective voices of women and girls, in all their diversity, to the international political table.
Sadly so far, the UN and UN Member States have not been forthcoming to reassure us or propose other ways in which Women’s Civil Society voices will still be brought to the . This lack of commitment is part of the broader concern of the increasingly shrinking space of women’s civil society. The UN system and the Member States must take proactive steps to support feminist women’s organisations, to ensure they are included and financially supported within upcoming UN processes for 2020, including the Generation Equality Forums in Mexico and Paris, and the UN General Assembly in New York.
“In times like this, we must remain vigilant and stand strong in the face of uncertainty, adversity, and instability. We continue to recognize the incredible work of women’s activists and feminists everywhere, and their ongoing efforts to ensure a feminist world where women and girls live free, equal and dignified lives. While we are physically divided, we are united in our vision for a feminist world.” Gwendoline Lefebvre, President, European Women’s Lobby
Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, EWL has published its report “25 years of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995-2020): THE TIME TO DELIVER IS NOW!” The report looks back at progress made in the EU in the last five years in relation to some of the BPfA’s critical areas of concern, highlights key actions of EWL and its members, and identifies remaining obstacles, to which we present our demands.
Read more on the definition and causes of the gender pay gap
More on Parliament’s work regarding women’s rights:
University Women of EUROPE 