08/03/2026
The theme of this year's International Women's Day is ‘Give to gain‘ celebrating the huge role every one of us can play by giving support, time, visibility, resources, education, training, expertise and passion to the project of gender equality.
We have come so far but in a world where only 2% of equity is invested in female run companies, where 43% of girls disengage from sport as teenagers, where women are paid nearly 7% less than men in full time employment, where the first female-modelled crash test dummy was unveiled in 2025 50 ( FIVE ZERO?!) years after the introduction of crash test dummies, where a woman waving her right to anonymity is still necessary to ensure that shame changes sides, and where only 9.4% of men accused of r**e or sexual misconduct go on to be charged by the Met, it is clear that we haven't even scratched the surface of what is possible.
If my list, which itself only scratches the surface of the inequalities that still exist in our societies, makes you feel despair, I would urge you to think of the amazing power you have to influence, support and advocate for those around you. Whether you're a parent advocating for your daughter, a friend advocating for a colleague, a business owner offering opportunities to women in spaces where those opportunities are hard to find or whether you're the person doggedly calling out stereotypes and encouraging people to think about the language they use in everyday situations, know that you ARE making a difference.
This year's theme emphasises a mindset of generosity and collaboration So I've tagged just some of the many wonderful women in my community who demonstrate this mindset in practise.
“When women thrive we all rise” (www international womensday.com)
