Achieving gender equality and women’s well-being in all aspects of life is more crucial than ever if we want to create prosperous economies and a healthy planet. However, one of the key challenges that the world is facing is the alarming USD 360 billion annual deficit in spending on gender-equality measures by 2030. (source: UN)
Here are five key areas needing our attention and joint action:
- Invest in women: a human rights issue – Gender equality is the greatest human rights challenge, benefiting everyone.
- Ending poverty – Due to the COVID pandemic and conflicts, 75 million more people have fallen into severe poverty since 2020. Immediate action is crucial to prevent over 342 million women and girls living in poverty by 2030.
- Implementing gender-responsive financing – Conflicts and rising prices may lead 75% of countries to cut public spending by 2025, negatively impacting women and their essential services.
- Shifting to a green economy and care society – The current economic system disproportionately affects women. Advocates propose a shift to a green economy and care society to amplify women’s voices.
- Supporting feminist change-makers – Despite leading efforts, feminist organisations receive only 0.13% of official development assistance.
International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day (IWD) is an annual event held on March 8th. It is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.
IWD has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in Europe and the United States in 1911 supported by over a million people. However, there had been some significant events in individual countries prior to this. Today, IWD belongs to all women’s groups, all women collectively everywhere.
Soroptimists Taking Action
International Women’s Day provides an important opportunity to fundraise for female-focused charities, help raise their visibility, and amplify awareness raising efforts. Sorotimists forge women’s equality through partnering with or donating to a registered charity or nonprofit that works for the advancement of women and girls. Working with and donating to these groups means addressing inequality and helping to support their important work.
On an individual basis, it’s important to understand, value and seek out the inclusion of women and girls.
On an organisational basis, there are many ways to ensure the needs, interests and aspirations of women and girls are valued and included. Soroptimists take action in areas such as:
- supporting women’s economic empowerment
- recruiting, retaining and developing female talent
- supporting women and girls into leadership, decision-making, business and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
- designing and building infrastructure meeting the needs of women and girls
- helping women and girls make informed decisions about their health
- involving women and girls in sustainable agriculture and food security
- providing women and girls with access to quality education and training
- elevating women and girl’s participation and achievement in sport
- promoting creative and artistic talent of women and girls
- addressing further areas supporting the advancement of women and girls
Find out more
If you would like to know more about these activities, join your local Soroptimist club and get involved. https://sigbi.org/get-involved/membership/
#InvestInWomen #InspireInclusion
Blog by Carol Infanti, SI Medway and Maidstone