This International Women's Day (IWD) is a reminder that, despite the progress made over the past century in many countries, women still face many challenges today—gender inequality, sexual harassment and assault, the disproportionate impact on women of providing care, conflicts over identity, and fundamental women's rights are still under attack in many countries.
Gender inequality remains a burning concern, with women still facing disparities in pay, representation in leadership positions, and access to education and healthcare. Women of colour have it even worse due to discrimination and systemic racism. IWD 2023 can be an opportunity to push for systemic changes to prevent sexual harassment and support survivors. The COVID-19 pandemic has also had a disproportionate impact on women, who make up the majority of essential workers and have had to bear the brunt of care-giving responsibilities. Sadly, the pandemic has led to a rise in domestic violence, as well. Our transgender sisters continue to face violence and discrimination while the media fans the flames of controversy. Women's rights remain under attack in many countries around the world, from restrictive abortion laws in the United States to the persecution of women’s rights advocates in Iran, and the Taliban government's severely curtailing women's rights in Afghanistan.
International Women's Day 2023 must be about much more than raising awareness about these issues and advocating for change. This is important work, to be fair, but it is also important to consider how we go about this. Organizing locally and supporting governing structures that put gender parity and equity at the heart of our projects must become our modus operandi if we truly want to improve women’s lives and opportunities. We need only look to revolutionary projects like those in Chiapas and Kurdistan for evidence of the benefits of governing another way. Check out the resources at the bottom of this newsletter to learn more about this and other current events in the ongoing struggle for women's emancipation.
Wishing you all success and happiness for
International Women's Day!