IWD 2021: Gender Equity

 
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Monday March 8th is International Women’s Day.

This year’s United Nations IWD theme is Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.

From UNDP’s website:

Across the world, women remain concentrated in the lowest paid jobs, many in extremely vulnerable forms of employment. Women are nearly twice as likely than men to lose their jobs during the COVID-19 crisis. Indeed, the pandemic will dramatically increase the poverty rate for women and widen the gap between men and women who live in poverty. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is working with countries across the globe to address these inequalities. Our eye-opening new policy brief explores how a Temporary Basic Income for women in developing countries could provide part of the solution. UNDP argues that a worthwhile monthly investment of 0.07 per cent of developing countries’ GDP could help 613 million working-aged women living in poverty to absorb the shock of the pandemic. It would also contribute to the economic security and independence that is necessary for women to engage more deeply in the decisions that could change their future.

"We need women’s representation that reflects all women and girls in all their diversity and abilities, and across all cultural, social, economic and political situations. This is the only way we will get real societal change that incorporates women in decision-making as equals and benefits us all."

- Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director

Choose to Challenge and Choose to Celebrate

We are encouraging folks to share what they are challenging and what they are celebrating this year on International Women’s Day.

Take a pic with your message and tag DWS!

Need help getting the ball rolling with your message? We've got some ideas:

I choose to challenge:

  • sexist beliefs

  • the gender pay gap

  • sisters stolen from our lands and communities

  • that there are ‘girls’ toys and ‘boys’ toys

  • myself to rest when I need it

I choose to celebrate:

  • my healing

  • ancestors who have fought for justice

  • my circle of support

  • all the amazing women that exist - intersex women, trans women, cis women, and more!