The theme for International Women’s Day 2023 is #EmbraceEquity - here’s our top tips for a meaningful celebration.
March 8 is International Women’s Day - a chance to celebrate the achievements of women and to raise awareness about discrimination.
The theme for 2023 is #EmbraceEquity. That means creating an inclusive world where we embrace diversity. And we can all play a part - in fact, it’s only by collective activism that anything changes.
So are you up for it?
The first step is probably to unpack the word equity. It’s different from equality. A simple way to think of it is that equality means everyone gets the same thing, whereas equity means everyone gets what they need.
It’s often illustrated by three people trying to see over a fence to watch a sports game. In the first example, all three people are given a box to stand on. One box each - this is equality. For the two taller people, this achieves what it was meant to. They can see over the fence and watch the game. But the third person is much shorter and even with a box, they cannot see over the fence.
So what would this look like if it was based on equity instead of equality? We would take the three boxes and distribute them so that everyone gets what they need. The tallest person can already see over the fence. They don’t need a box. The shortest person needs two boxes to get high enough to see over the fence. And the middle person can see over the fence with one box. The same resources - distributed differently - achieve an equitable outcome.
In some situations, we might look at one person getting two boxes and one person getting no boxes and declare that’s unfair. But fairness is really only worth discussing if everyone is the same - and everyone has an equal footing.
There’s lots you can do to embrace equity this International Women’s Day.
Get informed and spread the word
Learn about the history and importance of Women's Day and share that knowledge with your friends & family.
Give some love to the women in your life
Take a moment to appreciate and celebrate the women in your life. Write a heartfelt note, give them a call, or simply tell them how much they mean to you.
Support women-led businesses or invest in women-led start-ups
By doing this, you're helping to close the gender pay gap and make a difference.
Get involved with organisations that support women
There are heaps of organisations out there working to promote women's rights and gender equality. You can donate money, volunteer your time, or use your skills to help. From donating to a women's shelter, to volunteering at a women's health clinic, to mentoring girls in your community – there's plenty you can do!
International Women's Day is a time to celebrate, reflect, and take action. How will you #EmbraceEquity this year?
