Its International Women’s Day

Celebrating achievements of women, uplifting women, empowering the next generation of women.

The world economic forum predicts that the gender gap wont close entirely until 2186!! That is so crazy and we wouldn’t even live to see it at this stage.

Here is why I marched in the Women’s walk on Washington March. It’s all aligned with why I choose to speak on this issue now as well.

We must #beboldforchange now & also bring awareness to amazing female role models.

Gender equality is a worldwide issue but we see that in developing countries females are often restricted further in the opportunities that they are offered, education available. Often they aren’t treated equally socially, economically and can be thought of as ‘second rate’ citizens.

We must be the voice for those who don’t have the chance to stand up for themselves.

We can support charities and organisations, that are creating change in the developing world. They do amazing work by providing education opportunities, uplifting women and creating awareness around the many issues affecting girls & women.

You can help those most vunerable, move out of not just oppressing but often terrifying circumstances.

Half the Sky

The sky being held up by all of us and half of us being women.

Without us obviously the sky would fall pretty damn quick.

I love the book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.

Through the stories in Half the Sky, authors Kristof and WuDunn help us see that the key to economic progress lies in unleashing women’s potential. They make clear how so many people have helped to do just that, and how we can each do our part. Throughout much of the world, the greatest unexploited economic resource is the female half of the population. Countries such as China have prospered precisely because they emancipated women and brought them into the formal economy. Unleashing that process globally is not only the right thing to do; it’s also the best strategy for fighting poverty.

On the same line of thought.

I fricken love Marie Forleo’s speech from the  She’s the first awards night. Marie won the award for Mentor of the year.

Educating girls is the key to ending global poverty and healing our world.

Educating girls can break the cycle of poverty in one generation.

A girl who has an education will stand up for her rights.

She will empower her family she will strengthen her community and her economy.

But weve got a lot of work to do.

Because we have to dismantle the beliefs and the obstacles that block around 60 million girls right now from getting the education that they so richly deserve.

We have to put an end to gender related violence, to early marriage, to domestic slavery and the insidious long standing belief that girls just aren’t as important as the boys.

This is especially important now as there is a deep pain that exists in our society because women and girls have been so devalued by others and more than ever we have to come together to change that.

If we want to live in a more peaceful, just, equitable and kind world, that can’t be done without an uprising of strong and powerful women.

And if we want and uprising of strong and powerful women then we need an uprising of strong, powerful and educated girls.

So today I want us to promise ourselves and each other that never again will we fail to recognise, how hard it is for every girl to face challenges in a world that often treats women and girls as second class citizens.

Every single girl deserves to hear that she’s good enough, every girl deserves to know that she has value and every girl deserves  the education and opportunity to live into her highest potential.

Oh my gosh Marie it was so good I had to quote the whole thing.  {full video here }

I love Marie any way but this speech is perfect.

My fave – Educating girls can break the cycle of poverty in one generation. {Click to tweet} Yes lets do it 🙏🏽

What’s happening on for International womens day?

International Womens Day is currently celebrated in over 100 countries.🎉

It’s an official holiday in 20 plus nations including Afghanistan, Cuba, Georgia, Laos, Russia, Uganda, and Vietnam. In places like China, Madagascar, and Nepal, it is also a holiday, but only for women. So cool hoping it will one day be a national holiday in New Zealand.

✌🏼️Womens Strike

The Women’s March organizers have declared March 8 ‘A Day Without A Woman’, with an international strike to take place in over 30 countries. Women are planning to speak up in a variety of ways, including taking the day off work, not spending any money, and engaging in civic action like calling their representatives.

✌🏼️Women getting together

Women all over the world are getting together to discuss issues on gender equality and how they can make change within this.

✌🏼️People using their voices

Both in real world and online speaking out on the issue, celebrating women, supporting organisations that are working on the issue of gender equality. For some ways you can help speak up, check out this post from the IWD website.

Each of us can be a leader within our own spheres of influence and take bold pragmatic action to accelerate gender parity. We can collectively help women advance and unleash the limitless potential offered to economies the world over

NDTV

💖Lets Celebrate Women who are doing the damn thing.

💖Lets inspire & empower the next generation.

💖Lets be the voice, take a stand and make change for those who haven’t that chance to speak up.

🙌🏼 All hail the badass babes holding up half the sky 🙌🏼

How are you celebrating International Women’s day? Who are you celebrating?

Let me know in the comments below.

Much Love