Until women have equal opportunities in all aspects of life, International Women’s Day will continue to be relevant. This is a day to think about the position of women, to become aware of what has been achieved and what more needs to be done towards achieving equality.

That’s why on March 8, a day devoted to celebrating the achievements of women and seeking gender equality, individuals and organisations go all out to embark on initiatives to help realise the purpose of the day.  

In commemorating this year’s celebration, some women share their thoughts on what International Women’s Day means to them, and why it is still very important.

“I strongly believe that celebrating International Women's Day is essential and will continue to be so because women are unique and valuable. Women are the bearers of life and contribute immensely to the essence of existence. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize and celebrate the significant impact that women have in society.”- Rhoda Ansah-Adjei, Business woman.

“Celebrating Women's Day remains relevant despite the progress made towards women's inclusion in education and politics. While strides have been made, issues such as unequal maternal leave policies, the gender pay gap, and lack of representation in executive leadership remain. Women's Day serves as a platform to bring attention to these challenges and to find solutions to address them” - Theodora Agbo, HR Consultant.

“We still need to amplify Women’s Day due to the fact that there are still very few women in influential positions. Women are still largely marginalized across the globe.The Global Gender Gap Report 2021 stated that at our current rate, it will take another 135.6 years to achieve equality between men and women globally. Celebrating women’s day provides an opportunity to celebrate women’s accomplishments and concurrently encourage everyone to choose to challenge gender bias and inequality, call out discrimination, and seek out inclusion.”- Pearl Kemajou, Gender and Healthcare Advocate

Even though some people may see it as performative to celebrate days like this, it is crucial to recognize that such occasions bring attention to issues that affect women. This, in turn, sparks conversations on how to tackle these issues effectively.

Let’s celebrate women’s day every year until there is gender equality. On this International Women’s Day, everyone is urged to stand firm and #EmbraceEquity for the advancement of women.