IFME supports International Women’s Day (IWD) which is marked annually on March 8. IWD is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. IWD has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people.
For IWD 2023 and beyond, each of us everywhere can #EmbraceEquity. The IWD 2023 campaign theme seeks to forge worldwide understanding about why equal opportunities aren’t enough! Equity isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have. A focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society’s DNA. It’s not just something we say. It’s not just something we write about. It’s something we need to think about, know, value and embrace. Equity means creating an inclusive world. It's critical to understand the difference between equity and equality. Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities.
Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances, and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. We can all challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out inclusion. Collective activism is what drives change. From grassroots action to wide-scale momentum, we can all #EmbraceEquity. Forging gender equity isn’t limited to women solely fighting the good fight. Allies are incredibly important for the social, economic, cultural, and political advancement of women.
When we #EmbraceEquity, we embrace diversity, and we embrace inclusion. We #EmbraceEquity to forge harmony and unity, and to help drive success for all.
Equality is the goal, and equity is the means to get there. Through the process of equity, we can reach equality.
Further information can be found at https://www.internationalwomensday.com/