IWD is a day to celebrate but also to reflect on where we stand. According to the U.N. 2022 gender snapshot, the world is not on track to achieve gender equality by 2030. Violence against women is alarmingly high. One woman/girl is killed by someone in their own family every 11 minutes. In 2021, 1 in 10 women/girls between 15 and 49 were subjected to sexual/physical violence by an intimate partner. Over 380 million women/girls live in extreme poverty.
So, while we strive for career progress, there are women in the world who will never even contemplate completing an education, let alone enter the workforce. Keeping them in mind, each one of us can make a real difference within the circle we live, work, and connect.
Think about the obstacles we face and share the solutions that work. If we have authority, use it to smooth the path for the next person. The elimination of prejudice in the workplace is accomplished not by word, but by deed, by our persistent example. We should look in the mirror and not be afraid to admit where we are wrong, but also have the courage and conviction to create new solutions, and new strategies to make the difference.
