How To Make International Women's Day Count
G.D Anderson explains how to make IWD24 count!
Each year, on International Women's Day (IWD), there's always someone who throws out the comment 'International Women's Day, you've got to be joking, when do we get an International Men's Day?'. For the record, you have one, it's November 19th. It's burned into my brain at this point and it spews out of my mouth like panic reflex every time I'm asked. Side effect of the active men's rights social media commenters of 2019...
It continues to astonish me that despite me having to remember two dates, many corporates fail to remember International Women's Day and most disappointingly, what it's actually about.
International Women's Day is not meant to be a scramble to find the women at your company and stick them on a panel. It's not an ESG initiative or a chance to recruit unpaid speakers for a morning tea. I'd love to say it's not an excuse for a cocktail party, but I'm partial to a cocktail party and any excuse will do- but get a grip, host it next week!
IWD is a chance to examine, reflect and strategise. It's about looking across your life, your job, your community, your global stances and saying, where have we improved and where can we improve?
I see lots of great IWD initiatives in Sydney alongside lots of BS cupcake initiatives. It's a mixed bag and it's almost entirely based on the values of leadership. Give people their flowers. If you see someone facilitating a really wonderful IWD initiative, tell them how much it means to you.
Where I put my energy on IWD is more specific, I look to invest in closing the gender gap. That means researching and donating to great organisations that empower girls. Giving to international development is a great way to get bang for your buck, so if you're someone with only a little to give, it's a great choice to make that donation count.
How do I choose who I invest in? I find organisations that target systemic issues. Period poverty, gender based violence, financial literacy and legal support. I research those organisations and I try to give as much. To the organisations I can't financially back, I try a social donation. Sharing their details on my socials to make my network aware of their work.
This IWD I want to encourage as many people as possible to dig deep and invest in gender equity. Take real action, create tangible, global change.
I know everyone's time poor so I'll make it simple! Head to The Cova Project and make a monthly donation to provide girls experiencing period poverty with long term, sustainable solutions. It's great bang for your buck with far reaching positive ripple effect. It's a better choice than cupcakes, every day of the week.
It's IWD, let's make it count!
-G.D Anderson
Overview: International Women's Day is a chance to host a women's day celebration and explore what we can do to advance women's rights, the empowerment of women and gender equality. G.D Anderson breaks down what inspirational women can do to maximise their Women's Day impact.