How it is that as we approach another International Women’s Day, with awareness and events proliferating, we remain a staggering 130 years away from achieving gender parity?
International Women’s Day has unfortunately devolved into a “talkfest,” where well-intentioned efforts often overshadow the critical need for tangible action.
We have to ask ourselves what is happening when large corporations are reevaluating their International Women’s Day plans due to the congested event calendar, and women who once eagerly attended these events are stepping back from participating.
Many of the female leaders I work and collaborate with expressing that International Women’s Day has lost its zeal or has just become another tick-the-box exercise. They’re choosing instead to be more intentional in their daily efforts to drive meaningful change.
The rich history of International Women’s Day
The roots of International Women’s Day stretch back 117 years.
In 1908 the first National Woman’s Day was observed in America, co-ordinated by the Socialist Party to honour garment workers striking for better conditions.
In 1910 Clara Zetkin proposed the idea of an annual “International Women’s Day” at the International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, receiving unanimous approval from over 100 women from 17 countries.
Between 1911 and 1913 International Women’s Day was first celebrated in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, with millions rallying for rights such as the right to work, vote, and hold public office.
In 1917 against the backdrop of World War I, Russian women staged a massive strike for “Bread and Peace”. This event played a catalytic role in the Russian Revolution. Inspired by the spirit of the Russian women, International Women’s Day became officially associated with March 8th.
In 1975, the United Nations officially recognised International Women’s Day celebrating it for the first time.
These pivotal moments in history showcase the power of women as a collective and what’s possible when women come together with the purpose of making meaningful change for the betterment of the world.
The intent of International Women’s Day
The purpose of International Women’s Day has always been to accelerate action toward a world free of gender bias. This includes:
- Celebrating Women’s Achievements: Recognising their contributions in all spheres of life.
- Raising Awareness: Highlighting the ongoing challenges women face and the need for change.
- Mobilising for Action: Galvanising individuals, organisations, and governments to take concrete steps towards achieving gender equality.
International Women’s Day is broken
According to the World Economic Forum, achieving gender parity will take another 134 years at the current rate of change. While there have been improvements in areas such as educational attainment and health, significant gaps remain, particularly in economic participation and political empowerment.
The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these issues, disproportionately affecting women through job losses and increased domestic responsibilities. Reports highlight that women, especially in hospitality and retail, faced significant setbacks, and the rise in domestic violence during lockdowns has only deepened these challenges.
Additionally, the representation of women in influential roles remains alarmingly low. My Hidden Figures: Where are all the female expert’s whitepaper highlighted that less than 24 per cent of news sources globally are women (World Economic Forum, 2020) and approximately only 31 per cent of paid speakers are women (Korn, 2023). This lack of visibility stifles progress toward gender equality, which is crucial for economic growth and societal well-being.
The need for action
As someone who benefits significantly from International Women’s Day, particularly as a keynote speaker, I wanted to call out the obvious because I believe we can do better.
International Women’s Day has become a talk fest. We’re great at running events that celebrate women and raise awareness, but we fall short on the most important part of the intent of the day. Mobilising action.
Whilst we are heading in the right direction our pace is insufficient. We have to ask the question are we serious about change? Do our intentions align with our actions as individuals?
Each year we come together as a collective and we chat about the problem and the change that’s needed but rarely do you see the individuals in the room commit to action as a result.
Just imagine the collective impact of every individual at the end of an International Women’s Day event, committing publicly to just one solid action for change and asking to be held to account. Imagine returning next year to the same event with everyone sharing the action they took, how it played out and what their next commitment to gender equality will be. This is how we reimagine our approach to International Women’s Day and align it truly with the intent of the day.
This year I want to challenge all of us on International Women’s Day 2025 to put the I back in equality!
What I mean by this is what can YOU do, what action can YOU commit to that will make a difference, any difference when it comes to closing the equality gap? I don’t care how tiny your action is as if we all publicly make a commitment, on March 8, 2025, the collective impact of those actions will be significant.
Here’s what I’m committing to:
Evidence-backed keynotes: My International Women’s Day keynotes will conclude with practical ways women and leaders can work towards creating a more equal future with a clear call to action to make a commitment and grab a buddy to hold them to account.
Impact Makers Ecosystem: I will continue to grow the member base of my ecosystem focused on best-in-class training and mentoring for women who want to make their mark and leave the world a better place. I will support them in landing the opportunities that elevate their influence and impact in places of power.
Psychology thesis: I plan to focus my thesis on a women’s issue and publish insights that aim to drive progress.
How you can take action
If you’re inspired to make a difference this International Women’s Day, consider these actions:
Read and Commit: Explore my Hidden Figures: Where Are All the Female Experts whitepaper and commit to actioning one of the recommendations via a social media post using the #IWD2025COMMITMENT.
Facilitate action: If hosting an International Women’s Day 2025 event, integrate an activity for participants to make personal commitments and share it with another person to keep them accountable.
Advocate: Publicly elevate and advocate for female experts you admire. My Hidden Figures research found that women are more likely to publicly own their expertise when others acknowledge them as an expert in their field. Call them out on social media and share how they are inspiring you and others. Recommend them for opportunities that showcase their expertise and elevate their influence.
Host a Hackathon: Next year rather than run an International Women’s Day event run a Hackathon to develop innovative solutions to gender-related challenges.
It’s time to move beyond the talkfest and reclaim the spirit of International Women’s Day by committing to action that moves gender equality from an aspiration to a reality.
Happy International Day Women’s Day 2025.