International Women’s Day
A Call for Real Change, Not Just Celebration
International Women’s Day is often marked by well-meaning gestures – a day to celebrate women that have inspired us, share themed social media campaigns or to host events.
But beyond the marketing and commercialisation, this day carries profound significance. It is a moment to reflect on the historical struggles for gender equality, the challenges women still face in professional and personal spheres and the action required to create lasting change.
The History
International Women’s Day has its roots in the early 20th century when women across the world were fighting for better working conditions, fair pay and the right to vote. The first National Women’s Day was observed in the United States in 1909, and by 1911, International Women’s Day was established in several European countries. It was on March 8th 1914 that Sylvia Pankhurst was famously arrested in London whilst on her way to speak in Trafalgar Square in support of women’s suffrage.
Since then, it has become a global movement, highlighting the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women while advocating for continued progress towards equality.
#AccelarateAction
This year’s theme is a fascinating one as it highlights just how far behind we are to reaching gender equality. According to data from the World Economic Forum;
“As shown by this year’s index results, the scale and speed of progress are deeply insufficient to achieve gender equality by 2030. Resourcing gender-equality efforts is crucial to avoid the rollback of hard-earned progress, and to ensure that pathways to growth, prosperity, innovation, and sustainability are levelling the ground for all persons. Achieving gender equality demands government and business to shift both resources and mindsets towards a new paradigm of economic thinking, where gender parity is embraced as a condition for equitable and sustainable growth. Through collaborative efforts and targeted interventions between governments and business, we can make 50/50 a reality”
The full publication can be found here
Challenges Women Face in Business
Despite some progress, women still face significant barriers in professional environments – gender pay gaps, underrepresentation in leadership, workplace bias and the ongoing struggle to balance career and personal responsibilities.
Female entrepreneurs often encounter challenges in securing funding and many industries remain male-dominated, making it difficult for women to have equal opportunities.
Women who start up their own businesses are far more likely to give up within the first 3 years of trading simply because of the lack of support available to them and this is why networks like ours, and many many other brilliant female networks out there, have to exist.
Owning and running businesses can make a great deal of sense for women, especially those who have young families. It allows us to find balance in achieving great things professionally without feeling like we’re neglecting our responsibilities at home. It further allows us to create our own paths and choose to run businesses that align with our own personal values.
This is why, for IWD 2025, we are hosting a Self Development Day, located in the stunning Wyre Forest, for professional women – because it’s vital that women get the opportunity to collectively support one another, learn from one another and empower themselves with tools, skills and strategies to help navigate these challenges.
We are delighted to share that this event has sold out; clear evidence of the desire for meaningful professional development spaces designed specifically for women.
Men Play A Vital Role Too
At Women Who, we do not wish to exclude men. Far from it.
Male allies play a critical role in helping us drive progress by understanding the challenges we face and by using their voices to advocate for equitable hiring, challenging unconscious bias and creating workplaces that truly embrace diversity.
Beyond Symbolic Gestures
International Women’s Day is more than a date on the calendar – it is a reminder that real change happens when we commit to action. It is about investing in women’s growth, recognising barriers and working collectively to remove them.
Let’s go beyond symbolic gestures and engage in meaningful conversations to accelerate actions that will lead to progress.
We wish you all a happy and powerful International Women’s Day.
To learn more about IWD 2025 visit here
