International women’s day: Breaking the bias - Erakina

International women’s day is celebrated globally to appreciate the efforts of women in various fields and aims to accelerate women’s equality.

The need to celebrate !

The current global labor force participation rate stands at 72% for men and is below 47% for women. It thus makes a difference of 25% while in a few regions it may rise to 50%.
Social stereotypes have accelerated the gender gap in employment. Finding a job thus becomes more difficult for women on a global scale.
In North America and Arab states, the unemployment rates of women fall below 20%.
There is a large employed section of women that are working in vulnerable working conditions.
The ILO and Gallup took up a wonderful initiative in 2016 to ask women across the globe what they want! The survey went on to question women whether they preferred to work in paid jobs or take care of the family or do both. The survey data shows that around 70% of women regardless of their present situation preferred paid jobs!

This preference is often influenced by socioeconomic factors and defined gender roles. Social stereotypes inhibit women from making decisions for themselves. Hence it is necessary to team up for the same and break the bias as the theme for 2022 targets.

The survey further highlights that society doesn’t accept women to have paid jobs outside the home. A large section of the women population reported that their own families disapproved of their decision to get paid work outside the house. Economically it is believed that reducing the employment gap could create wonders for global GDP. The regions with larger gender gaps and the developed countries could benefit from the same.

Do you know how the day came into existence?

The year 1908 witnessed a critical debate amongst the women, the issue being their oppression and inequality. The roots of the celebration lie in the labor movement.
Subsequently, the campaign became vocal and the first women’s day was observed in 1909 in the United States.
Likewise, with several conferences in 1910 and 1911, March 8th was finalized as international women’s day. Before this, the countries had different days to celebrate women’s empowerment.
It was celebrated for the primary time in 1975.

Forging equality through colors:

The day calls for celebrating women’s achievements and raising awareness for the same.

The colors associated with the day involve – purple, green, and white. Purple is symbolic of justice and dignity while green signifies hope and the color white represents purity. The color associated with this day stems from the Women’s Social and Political Union in the United Kingdom.

Gender equality for a sustainable future- the theme:

With the vision of a gender-equal world, international women’s day is here to break the bias. The day envisions a world that celebrates and values differences. The world has turned a deaf ear to the needs of women. Together we can break this chain. Our thoughts and actions are in our hands. Why not keep a check on the same for a sustainable tomorrow. There is a dire need to take action every time we see gender bias! Are you in for the same? Let’s break the bias. Wishing you a happy international women’s day.

Pooja Kumari Sha
-10/02/22

international women’s day