International Women’s Day 2021: will you join the women powering women?
By Hannah Coombes
This International Women’s Day, 8th March, we’re questioning who holds power and highlighting how women coming together to claim their power will transform the world. Read on to find out how you can get involved…
“Gender equality is fundamentally a question of power,” UN Secretary General António Guterres reminded us last year. Who holds power and who makes decisions impacts the lives we all lead. As long as women are denied their power, our societies will remain unequal. In the year since Guterres made that intervention, the inequalities that women suffer and the oppressive power structures that hold women down have been exposed by the COVID-19 crisis. This is why for International Women’s Day 2021, Womankind Worldwide is shining a light on the challenges women face in making their voice heard and the crucial role women must play in COVID-19 response and recovery. Never has it been more urgent for women to be meaningfully represented and engaged in leadership and decision-making.
What power do women currently hold?
From the local to the global, women are denied their power the world over. Just 1 in 4 parliamentarians are women and millions of women are excluded from having a voice in their own homes and communities. Right now just 21 countries are led by a woman – most have never had a woman leader. At this rate, it’ll be another 130 years before women are equally represented in the highest positions of power.
Many women endure significant barriers that make it hard to stand for elections, to be voted for and to vote. Those who face violence, poverty and discrimination are more likely to be excluded from decision making, while discriminatory laws, lack of education and greater caring responsibilities all restrict women from claiming their power. Crucially, gender stereotypes hold women back. The patriarchy tells us that men should be the ones making decisions. Even when women do run for office, they are less likely to have the resources, contacts and confidence to succeed. And those who do reach leadership positions can lack resources and experience daily prejudice, harassment and violence all impacting their ability to drive meaningful change.
Why do we need women in power?
Women have the right to equal participation in the decisions that impact their lives, both directly and indirectly. We know that when women don’t have a seat at the table, their needs are not addressed. This is apparent in the world’s response to the pandemic. COVID-19 has disproportionally impacted women: violence against women and girls has increased, women have been hit harder by economic fallout and are placed at greater risk of infection, making up 70% of the global health workforce. Yet countries are not doing enough to protect women and girls. Just 12% of countries have introduced measures to counteract the impacts of COVID-19, such as tackling increased violence against women and girls, supporting unpaid care work and strengthening women’s economic security.
By questioning our understanding of leadership and strengthening women’s movements, we can increase women’s say in decision-making. Shifting the power to create an equal society means removing barriers and creating a conducive environment for women’s meaningful representation in positions of power, as well as recognising all those that stand beside them – both to support them and to hold them to account.
In Zimbabwe, Womankind partner is doing just that. Women’s Action Group trains and supports local women to become ‘Community Champions’. Community Champions are local women leaders who, once equipped with the training and confidence to speak up and lead, are forming groups of like-minded individuals to identify needs, mobilise resources and build solutions together. This has become even more important during the COVID-19 crisis, where travel within and between regions has been restricted. With these skills, local women leaders have been able to offer:
- Local solutions to local needs – such as setting up loans and savings groups to support women farmers to buy seeds and equipment, and securing safe access to water;
- Rapid response – securing emergency supplies of hand sanitiser, masks, food and period products, and joining the district’s COVID-19 Taskforce to represent women’s needs;
- Support for survivors of violence – identifying and safely visiting women survivors of, or at risk of, violence.
How can you shift power on International Women’s Day 2021?
- Play Feminist Bingo: From calling out fast fashion through to checking our privilege, and from developing a deeper understanding of intersectionality through to celebrating women around the world, Feminist Bingo is a fun and social online game encourages us to explore women’s power and leadership, while discovering some of the ways that we can take another step on the path to equality. Feminist Bingo is all about unlocking potential through feminist action. It’s an opportunity to feel connected to women globally and discover small ways to make a difference in the world from your living room. Actions will spotlight the inspiring work of women’s movements around the world, and prizes have been donated by small, women-led businesses and social enterprises. Organisations offering Feminist Bingo prizes include The Feminist Shop, Minimum, The Vagina Museum, and Ruby Cup. Play here.
- Hear her voice: We asked our partners to tell us how they are supporting women in their countries to have greater representation in leadership and decision-making spaces. Keep an eye on our social media channels as we unveil our video series over the coming weeks.
- Donate: With your support we can enable partners like Women’s Action Group to shift the power in their countries and improve the lives of women and girls. This year, you can double the difference your money can make thanks to a group of generous donors who have pledged to match every donation pound for pound up to £75,000! Donate here.
- Fundraise: Highlight that just 25% of parliamentarians are women and raise money at the same time with our 25 Challenge! We’ve come up with fundraising challenges inspired by the number 25. Find out how to get involved here.
However you celebrate International Women’s Day this year, join us in disrupting power and challenging the patriarchy. The collective power of women, in all our diversities, will change the world.
