Here’s why you should join the International Women’s Day global event
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Just in time for International Women’s Month, Sarah Geronimo made history as the first-ever homegrown Filipina to receive Billboard’s Global Force Award. On the red carpet event in LA, she remarked, “Women are beautiful, women are strong.”
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Echoing this sentiment, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach also urged fans to abandon the toxic habit of pitting women against each other, emphasizing that there is plenty of room for everyone to succeed.
Meanwhile, Filipino stars Liza Soberano and Ylona Garcia are currently taking up spaces in international film and music scenes. In addition to celebrities, Filipino women leaders in their respective professions, such as Janina Galangga and Dr. Dely Po Go, among others, were honored in the US, further showcasing the talent and potential of Filipino women.
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Despite progress, outdated gender stereotypes still constrain opportunities for women worldwide. The call for women’s empowerment remains urgent, signaling a need to break free from societal expectations, shatter glass ceilings and create new pathways for success.
On March 8, the United Nations invites global solidarity under the hashtag #InvestInWomen, with the theme “Invest in women: Accelerate progress.”
In their statement, the UN emphasizes achieving gender equality and women’s well-being as crucial for a sustainable future. They also address the significant challenge of a projected $360 billion annual deficit in gender-equality measures by 2030.
Recognized by the UN in 1977, International Women’s Day is observed worldwide with varying degrees of activism, often focused on improving women’s rights as workers.
However, significant challenges persist. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2023 data, none of the 17 indicators and sub-indicators in SDG 5 (Gender Equality) have reached the “target met or almost met level” globally.
Only two indicators are classified as “close to target.” The report also highlights disparities where women dedicate 2.8 more hours per day than men to unpaid care and domestic work.
Furthermore, the same report reveals that in SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), women earned only 51 cents for each dollar earned by men pre-pandemic. And women only hold merely 28.2 percent of management positions in the workforce.
Additionally, among the 120 countries and regions assessed in the said report, 67 lack laws prohibiting both direct and indirect discrimination against women. Then in 53 countries, equal remuneration for work of equal value is not enforced by law.
In response to these challenges, the UN outlines five key areas for action: investing in women as a human rights imperative, ending poverty, implementing gender-responsive financing, transitioning to a green economy and care society, and supporting feminist change-makers.
Reflecting on the achievements and struggles of women globally during the past years, the celebration and call-to-action on March 8 reaffirms commitment to creating a more equitable and inclusive world for all.
