Photo: Instagram.com/@awedbymoni
International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on March 8th. The day is a global celebration of the achievements of women and a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
It’s an age-long yet ‘controversial’ history that women are the most celebrated and most campaigned for on earth. While this is true, we must acknowledge the reasons they are celebrated this much. Asides from their role in the continuation of human life through childbearing and caregiving, women are also celebrated for their significant contributions throughout history, despite facing underlying discrimination and barriers to their success. Celebrating their achievements in diverse fields of expertise including the family is a way to recognize their relevance, intelligence, and perseverance.
International Women’s Day, observed on March 8 each year, has been a day of celebration and activism for women’s rights and equality around the world for over a century. This year’s theme, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality” recognizes the women and girls who are advancing transformative technology and digital education. The event will also emphasize the need of defending women’s and girls’ rights in digital areas, as well as tackle online and ICT-facilitated gender-based violence.
If you’re wondering how you can join in the celebration regardless of your schedule, we’ve gathered some fantastic ideas to help you honor the women around you.
How to Celebrate the International Women’s Day
The goal of Women’s Day is to recognize women’s accomplishments in numerous fields, increase awareness about women’s rights, dignity, and equality, and generate funds for women-focused organizations. Have you for once considered a society in which there is no gender distinction; a society devoid of discrimination, preconceptions, and bigotry; a multiethnic, equitable, and inclusive world; a society that embraces and values diversity?
That is the level of advancement that can be achieved when individuals work together to celebrate, recognize and protect women. The global campaign theme this year is #EmbraceEquity. Participating in this campaign is one of the many activities in which one can engage to celebrate IWD 2023. Keep reading for more tips!
Learn about Women’s History
The first step to celebrating a thing is to learn about it and explore its importance both to you and your generation. Take time to learn about the contributions women have made throughout history.
International Women’s Day began in the United States in February 1909 as National Women’s Day. The next year, during the second International Congress of Working Women in Copenhagen, Denmark, women’s rights campaigner Clara Zetkin proposed an international women’s day to give women a stronger voice in advancing their equal rights demands.
The female attendees, who represented 17 nations and included Finland’s first three female MPs, in one accord, endorsed it. The inaugural celebration of International Women’s Day took place in March 1911, and in 1913 the date was set as March 8. In 1975, the UN celebrated it for the first time and in 1996, announced its first annual theme: “Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future.”
Join In The #Embraceequity Campaign
The #EmbraceEquity campaign for IWD 2023 aims to ignite and sustain a global dialogue on why equal opportunities are seemingly insufficient. So, raising awareness of the need for fair conduct for everyone regardless of gender or social class is a distinct starting point. Women are more likely to have access to what they need to achieve if we genuinely believe in, appreciate, and support equity. So, by joining this campaign with an act as simple as posting a photo of you embracing equity, you significantly contribute to the advancement of women.
Host a Women’s Day Event
As a worldwide recognized day, often celebrated as a national holiday in most countries, throwing an event is always a welcome idea. So, if you run a non-profit organization or you’re always fond of having women around, you can organize an event in your community, workplace, or school to inspire and celebrate women while recognizing their achievements no matter how small.
Attend a Women’s March
Look around, there would be organizations organizing a public march in honor of women. So, if you’re not too busy on that day, you can attend a Women’s March in your city or even organize one within your community.
Make Creative Thank-You Videos
If you’d be too busy to join in a virtual event or a physical walk in honor of women, you can opt for creating a video. With the help of your team or co-workers in the office, you can make videos of appreciation to women around you.
Share Your Story
I have witnessed how important women’s stories have been in bringing about change over the past several years. From women who have experienced rape, domestic violence, and all manner of social injustice. These stories have been shaping the narratives and encouraging other women to speak up. Women however require a good level of self-assurance to stand out, speak out, and use resonance in their voices. So, on this IWD, think about how you may more effectively convey your own unique story.
Donate to Women’s Organizations
If you’re inclined to give back to society, the International Day of Women is a point of interest. You can decide to select any women’s organization that aligns with your values and donate to support their work towards the development of women.
Read Books by Women Authors
The fact is that most women are setting the bar high for motivational memoirs, how-to manuals, and research papers that aim to encourage and equip both women and men to fight social injustices and inequality. On International Women’s Day, you can find motivational fiction or nonfiction books written by women, about women, and frequently for women that provide fresh perspectives on femininity, especially if you enjoy reading.
Watch Films Directed by Women
Just like there are women writers and others creating ripples across diverse sectors of the economy, there are women movie producers and directors who genuinely contribute to the entertainment industry with their acting and filmmaking prowess. If you really do not have any plans you intend to watch a lot of movies on IWD, you might want to explore films like ‘The Woman King’ that honor the lives and fortitude of women.
Volunteer with a Women’s Group
Volunteering is an understated lifestyle but very much relevant especially if you want to give back to society but do not have the skills. If you’re a student or currently unemployed and you have a flair for anything development, as the IWD approaches, you can register your interest to volunteer with a women’s group and help them with their mission.
Support Women-Owned Businesses
Asides from donating money to women-inclined organizations, you can support women-owned businesses by purchasing their products or services or running a free advert on your platforms with their permission. To do this, keep in mind that you are not necessarily required to be a social media influencer.
Wear the IWD Colors
These three colors—purple, green, and white—actually stand in for the worldwide celebration of women’s contributions to society, the economy, culture, and politics and you can show support and celebrate by wearing any of these colors on International Women’s Day. The colors originated from the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the United Kingdom in 1908. Purple stands for justice and dignity, green for optimism, and white for purity.
Spread Awareness on Social Media
This is probably the most straightforward of them all. The celebration of women would be widely publicized via diverse media channels on IWD. To support this effort and spread awareness of women’s rights and issues, you can create your own celebratory materials or share other people’s posts and articles on social media.
Host a Women’s Day Dinner
If you’re having a busy day at work and would like to get together with the women around you, you can make an e-card or send out texts informing them of an evening timeout at a posh area to celebrate their importance in your lives. This is also a romantic option for husbands who want to celebrate their spouses on that day. IWD, like Valentine’s Day, is a day to demonstrate your love to your woman.
Educate Yourself And Others About Women’s Rights And Issues.
The most beautiful thing about educating people is the fact that you don’t need to be in a conventional classroom to do that. You can proactively commit to rebuffing sexism and conversations that do not propagate the aims of peaceful coexistence amongst both genders. You can also take the time to develop an educational piece about women’s rights and the significance of gender equality for use in tweets, articles, and Instagram carousels.
On International Women’s Day, we have the chance to inspire one another as women, reflect on all of our achievements, and take some time to consider our future goals. While it is true that IWD focuses on women, there is no preference in the yearly campaigns for one gender over another. As a result, men can actively engage with women to promote the need for a world where women can thrive without bias.
