Celebrating Women’s Day 2020: An Equal World is An Enabled World

— a quote by world-renowned activist, feminist, and journalist, Gloria Steinem.

You can help to create a gender equal world by:

Educating Yourself

Knowledge is power and to equip yourself to take a stand and accelerate women’s equality, then it’s important to educate yourself. Set time aside to research some of the major concerns, such as inequality in the workplace and sexual harassment. Start by browsing articles online but do some fieldwork too by talking to women and girls. Ask them what makes them feel like they are unequal. You may be surprised to discover which human rights they have been denied. By educating yourself, you may feel empowered enough to put the rest of our suggestions into action.

Sharing Your Knowledge

Knowledge does not succumb to much if it’s not shared. So, share what you have learned with others.

This does not mean that you need to lecture everyone on how things should be. Instead, you can take what you have learned and use it to voice an informed opinion. You can enter or start debates and correct misconceptions by backing your claims up with statistics and scholarly articles. The point here is to help educate others by being an example of what you yourself have learned.

Speaking Up If You Witness Sexism

Sexism happens around us every day. Usually, we brush it off as a “joke” or we are too afraid to voice our true feelings. We encourage you to use your voice and speak freely. Whether someone has made an inappropriate comment or an unwanted advance, don’t be afraid to speak up. For example, if you are walking down the street and someone catcalls you, you have the right to say “stop”. You can also report the person to their company or the nearest authorities.

You deserve respect in every way and if someone makes you feel vulnerable or uncomfortable, it’s your right to voice your true feelings.

Raising Aspirations of Women and Girls

What if we told you that you could not only help put a stop to gender equality but at the same time you can raise the aspirations of women and girls? It’s possible. All you need to do is be a role model. Be someone who girls and women can aspire to be. Look after yourself, eat healthily, exercise, try new things, study, hold your head up high, be ambitious, dare to be different, be proud of your uniqueness, and always remember to treat yourself – you’re worth it!

If you can walk with an air of confidence, then it’s likely that others will follow in your wake.

Being an Advocate for Gender Equality in the Workplace

Whilst more and more women are being given fair and equal roles in the workplace, this practice is still not widespread enough. Women need to be heard. They need to be given the opportunity to have a fair take at the corporate ladder and they need salaries that meet their worth, not their gender. But how can you make a difference? It starts by empowering and educating your friends. Use the suggestions above to help people gain the confidence they need to challenge their co-workers and upper management. Educate them on their rights and offer support during this time where conflict and uncomfortable situations may arise.

Becoming Politically and Socially Active

If you’re the type who thinks that your vote doesn’t count, then it’s time to change your perspective. Your vote DOES count. And what’s more important is that you can use your vote to support female and feminist candidates. One of the best ways to implement change is to get more people into office who are willing to fight for gender equality.

At the same time, you can also attend marches and rallies to be proactive. Look for events near you and bring your friends along. Whether the event is about women’s healthcare or about equal pay, it’s one way you can show your support for the things that you care about. Or you could run for office yourself? Now there’s a thought…

Finding Causes to Support

If marches and rallies are not your thing, that’s OK. There are other ways you can support gender equality. From signing petitions to donating towards a cause that will help to share your voice, the ways you can share ownership and make a difference for women around the world are endless. In fact, if you can’t donate, volunteer, if you can’t volunteer, educate!