What is International Women’s Day?
In recent times, there is an urgent need to sensitise the world/ on the need to uphold and celebrate women. The importance of International Women’s Day lies with each and every one of the women of yesterday, now, and the future.
But before we dive into that, we need to know what it is all about, and the need to not just celebrate it but also to implement it in today’s society.
International Women’s Day is a global day which is the celebration of social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women every 8th of March.
It is the celebration of women where it highlights the daily disadvantage and prejudice women may face in the workplace and society at large and how to bring sustainable solutions to eradicate such practices in the long run.
Not only that, but a day like this is to celebrate all that women bring! All of the love from mothers that they endlessly and instinctively pour, the pain they have faced and the resilience they have shown to survive their lives in spite of disadvantage.
Every year a theme is chosen that both celebrates women and draws attention to issues that are affecting women across the world and this years’ theme is #EmbraceEquity.
What is Equity?
Equity is the practice of not giving equal opportunity, but to give fair opportunity. It accounts for specific disadvantages and obstacles that individuals may experience on the path to obtaining the same outcome. Different people have very different needs
How is it different to Equality?
Would you still split the bill with your friend if they were struggling financially?
Equality is the access to the same opportunities and resources evenly across individuals whilst equity on the other hand recognises individual circumstances to even the playing field so that everyone can thrive and succeed. Giving all students a free university tuition will not only slump the economy but take away the fact that many people are in comfortable positions where they do not need that help, whereas some people who have not had the same upbringing would deserve to have a helping hand.
Equal opportunities and access. This would mean that men and women both have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and ambitions and use the same services without gender having any impact. Although you can give both men and women the opportunity to be in the same job ,for example, that is not to say that the women will still get the same outcome. When a woman is carrying a baby for 9 months and has a changed level of work output, such as when she goes into labour, the likelihood of her reaching the yearly quota of that company is very little in comparison to Joe, who was given a bonus for not taking a sick day all year!
Equal treatment? Equal treatment may mean being treated equally regardless of gender or race or having the same expectations placed on you. But the difference is the sensitivity towards those who need more than just equal treatment. There are historical elements that must not be forgotten as when we look back on history, there have been centuries of mis-opportunity between women, whether is be skin tone, economic backgrounds or sexuality. “Embracing Equity is addressing real-world systemic racism in a way that empowers all of us to be part of the solution”. -Jessica, teacher.
You can also check out our video explanation about the difference between Equity and Equality here.
Why Embrace Equity?
We can’t just treat everyone the same because it doesn’t acknowledge we are all different.
Embracing equity means that we are ‘righting our wrongs’ as society that have carried long-standing practices and attitudes that deprive our women — such as that women are less suited to take on leadership roles or work in physically demanding professions. Embracing equity is vital in ensuring that we take into account the past and the narratives that we have embedded within our society that need amending. It is also about the future. The push towards caring about individual need and not leaving anybody behind based on their gender. A lot of us go through very different things in life.