I’m angry, I’m frustrated. I’m asking myself how it is that as we approach another International Women’s Day, with awareness and events proliferating, yet we remain a staggering 130 years away from achieving gender parity (World Economic Forum, 2024). International Women’s Day has unfortunately devolved into a 'talk fest', where well-intentioned efforts often overshadow the critical need for tangible action.
We have to ask ourselves what is happening when my corporate clients are re-evaluating their International Women’s Day plans due to the congested event calendar, and women who once eagerly attended these events are stepping back from participating. Many of the female leaders I work and collaborate with are expressing that International Women’s Day has lost its zeal. They’re choosing instead to be more intentional in their daily efforts to drive meaningful change.
Did you know that the roots of International Women’s Day stretch back 117 years?
In 1908 the first National Woman's Day was observed in America, co-ordinated by the Socialist Party to honour garment workers striking for better conditions.
In 1910 Clara Zetkin proposed the idea of an annual 'International Women's Day' at the International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, receiving unanimous approval from over 100 women from 17 countries.
Between 1911 and 1913 International Women’s Day was first celebrated in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, with millions rallying for rights such as the right to work, vote, and hold public office.
In 1917 against the backdrop of World War I, Russian women staged a massive strike for 'Bread and Peace'. This event played a catalytic role in the Russian Revolution. Inspired by the spirit of the Russian women, International Women's Day became officially associated with March 8th.
In the year that I was born, 1975, some 49 years ago, the United Nations officially recognised International Women’s Day celebrating it for the first time.
These pivotal moments in history showcase the power of women as a collective and what’s possible when women come together with the purpose of making meaningful change for the betterment of the world.
The purpose of International Women’s Day has always been to accelerate action toward a world free of gender bias. This includes:
Celebrating Women's Achievements: Recognising their contributions in all spheres of life.
Raising Awareness: Highlighting the ongoing challenges women face and the need for change.
Our approach is the problem.
According to the World Economic Forum, achieving gender parity will take another 131 years at the current rate of change. While there have been improvements in areas such as educational attainment and health, significant gaps remain, particularly in economic participation and political empowerment.
The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these issues, disproportionately affecting women through job losses and increased domestic responsibilities. Reports highlight that women, especially in hospitality and retail, faced significant setbacks, and the rise in domestic violence during lockdowns has only deepened these challenges.
Additionally, the representation of women in influential roles remains alarmingly low. My Hidden Figures: Where are all the female expert’s whitepaper highlighted that less than 24% of global news sources are women (World Economic Forum, 2020) and approximately only 31% of paid speakers are women (Korn, 2023). This lack of visibility stifles progress toward gender equality, which is crucial for economic growth and societal well-being.
As someone who benefits significantly from International Women’s Day,particularly as a keynote speaker with four amazing gigs this year for corporate giants. I wanted to call out the obvious because I believe we can do better.
In fact, I know we can do better.
International Women’s Day has become a talk fest. Every man and his dog runs an event to be seen to be doing the right thing. I don’t think it’s mal-intended. We’re great at celebrating women and raising awareness, but we fall short on the most important part of the intent of the day.
Mobilising action.
Whilst we are heading in the right direction our pace is insufficient.
We have to ask the question are we serious about change?
Do our intentions align with our actions as individuals?
Each year we come together as a collective and we chat about the problem and the change that’s needed but rarely do we see the individuals in the room commit to action as a result.
Just imagine the collective impact of every individual at the end of an International Women’s Day event, committing publicly to just one solid action for change and asking the group or an individual to hold them to account.
The United Nations has made this opportunity easier than ever with the theme for 2025 being March Forward.
I want to challenge all of us on International Women’s Day 2025 to put the "I" back in Equality!
What I mean by this is what can YOU do? What action can YOU commit to that will make a difference, any difference when it comes to closing the equality gap? I don’t care how tiny your action is, if we all publicly make a commitment, on March 8, 2025, the collective impact of those actions will be significant.
Evidence-Backed Keynotes: My International Women’s Day keynotes will conclude with practical ways women and leaders can work towards creating a more equal future with a clear call to action to make a commitment and grab a buddy to hold them to account.
Impact Makers Ecosystem: I will continue to grow the member base of my ecosystem focused on best-in-class training and mentoring for women who want to make their mark and leave the world a better place. I will support them in landing the opportunities that elevate their influence and impact in places of power.
Psychology Thesis: I plan to focus my thesis on a women’s issue and publish insights that aim to drive progress.
If you’re inspired to make a difference this International Women’s Day, consider these actions:
Read and Commit: Explore my Hidden Figures: Where Are All the Female Experts whitepaper and commit to actioning one of the recommendations via a social media post using the #IWD2025COMMITMENT.
Facilitate Action: If hosting an International Women’s Day 2025 event, integrate an activity for participants to make personal commitments and share it with another person to keep them accountable.
Advocate: Publicly elevate and advocate for female experts you admire. My Hidden Figures research found that women are more likely to publicly own their expertise when others acknowledge them as an expert in their field. Call them out on social media and share how they are inspiring you and others. Recommend them for opportunities that showcase their expertise and elevate their influence.
Host a Hackathon: Next year rather than run an International Women’s Day event run a Hackathon to develop innovative solutions to gender-related challenges.
If you’re done with the International Women’s Day talk fest and you’d like to take matters into your own hands through meaningful action, join me for The Expert Effect Masterclass. This Masterclass is designed to teach you how to become a confident and credible leader who lands opportunities for greater influence and impact. Grab your spot here.
Happy International Day Women’s Day 2025.
