It’s International Women’s Day! Today, March 8, is not only a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women around the world, but it is also a call to action for women’s equality. Did you know? We have celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD) for more than a century. The first National Women’s Day was observed on February 28, 1909, in New York. Two years later, over a million people support the first IWD gathering in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland in 1911.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is #ChooseToChallenge. We can choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can choose to highlight and celebrate women’s achievements. From challenge comes change – Together, we can all do our part to help create an inclusive world.
The United Nation’s theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world‘ to celebrate women’s outstanding contributions around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn about women’s leadership in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Do We Still Need International Women’s Day?
Yes, absolutely! While the world has made some unparalleled advances, it still has not achieved gender equality.
- Nearly 60 per cent of women around the world work in the informal economy, earning less, saving less, and at greater risk of falling into poverty.
- Women earn 23% less than men globally.
- Women’s political representation globally has doubled in the last 25 years. But, this only amounts to around 1 in 4 parliamentary seats held by women today.
- The Fortune 500 hit a milestone with the most women CEOs on record in 2019. However, out of the 500 chief executives leading the highest-grossing firms, just under 7 per cent are women.
Check out more interactive data visualized here.
At the B.C. Wildlife Federation
While over 85% of our staff are women, the organization is still primarily male-dominated. We have created the BCWF Diversity & Inclusion Committee, through which we aim to foster an inclusive team culture that allows us to promote and develop diversity among our staff and members, as well as develop relationships with diverse stakeholders and partners. We are committed to creating a safe and inclusive space for staff, members and volunteers at the BCWF.
Today, we celebrate all women working at the BCWF and the tremendous work that they have been doing to protect and conserve B.C.’s fish, wildlife and habitat!
Take Action
- Celebrate inspiring women in your environment and highlight their achievements.
- Make an impact on gender equality. Learn how to take these 12 simple actions to achieve a more inclusive world.