Every year, on March 8th, the world stops—briefly—to acknowledge the achievements of women. We see social media flooded with corporate logos turned purple, well-meaning hashtags, and an outpouring of appreciation for the women in our lives. And yet, when the posts fade and the hashtags disappear, many of the same challenges remain.
International Women’s Day (IWD) is meant to be a celebration of progress, but it must also be a rallying cry for action. Because while we’ve come a long way, the truth is, women’s bodies, voices, and choices are still being controlled, dismissed, and devalued worldwide.
The Unfinished Fight for Equality
Reproductive rights are under attack. In many countries, access to contraception and abortion remains a battleground. The overturning of Roe v. Wade in the U.S. has had a ripple effect, emboldening restrictive policies elsewhere. Meanwhile, even in nations where these rights are technically protected, financial barriers, medical gatekeeping, and stigma make reproductive healthcare inaccessible for many.
Women’s health is still an afterthought. From endometriosis to menopause, women’s health issues remain underfunded and misunderstood. It takes an average of eight years for a woman to get an endometriosis diagnosis, despite it affecting one in ten. Conditions that predominantly affect women receive a fraction of the research funding that other diseases do. It’s 2024—how is this still acceptable?
Motherhood continues to cost women their careers. Research from Pregnant Then Screwed found that 74,000 women in the UK alone lose their jobs each year due to pregnancy or maternity discrimination—a 37% increase since 2016. And with only 2% of women able to take their cases to employment tribunals, justice remains an expensive and elusive privilege.
Gender-based violence remains a crisis. In 2023 alone, one in three women worldwide experienced physical or sexual violence. From the rise of misogynistic online figures influencing young men to the failure of governments to protect women from domestic abuse, safety remains a privilege, not a right, for too many.
Beyond Awareness: The Call for Action
If we want to do more than perform feminism on one day of the year, we need to turn awareness into action:
Support policies that protect women. Whether it’s paid maternity leave, funding for domestic abuse shelters, or laws ensuring access to reproductive healthcare—progress happens through policy. Vote accordingly.
Invest in women’s health. Governments and corporations must prioritise funding for conditions that disproportionately impact women. Every woman deserves healthcare that listens to her, believes her, and treats her.
Challenge workplace discrimination. Equal pay, flexible working policies, and protections against pregnancy and maternity discrimination must be enforced—not just promised.
Amplify the voices of women. Support female-led businesses, listen to women’s stories, and call out sexism when you see it, whether it’s in boardrooms, media, or everyday conversations.
Hold companies accountable. Don’t let businesses get away with performative feminism. If they’re posting about IWD but paying women less, failing to promote them, or ignoring harassment in their workplaces—call them out.
We’re Not Asking—We’re Demanding
International Women’s Day should be more than just a celebration of how far we’ve come. It should be a reminder of how far we still have to go. Women don’t need empty gestures—we need change.
This March 8th, don’t just say you support women. Prove it.
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