8 ways to celebrate International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is just around the corner on 8th March, and marks an opportunity to celebrate the women who are leading the fight against gender bias. It is also one of the most important days of the year to raise awareness for gender equality and to honour women’s achievements. 

Women’s rights have come a long way, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

We all play a part in building a world without gender bias, so if you want to celebrate International Women’s Day, here are eight things you can do:

1. Honour inspirational women

Women often don’t get the credit they deserve for their achievements. We can change that! Get together with colleagues and talk about the women who inspire you and why. This can be a woman in politics, an important figure in history or your favourite artist.

2. Organise a book club

Meet up with colleagues or friends who love to read and suggest books written by women about women. Not only is this a great way to educate yourself and each other on women’s rights and lived experiences, it’s also a fun bonding opportunity.

Some book recommendations: 

• 'Bad Feminist' by Roxane Gay
• 'Women Don’t Owe You Pretty' by Florence Given
• 'A Room of One’s Own' by Virginia Woolf
• 'Invisible Women' by Caroline Criado Perez
• 'We Should All Be Feminists' by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

3. Support women-owned businesses

If you can, try to support women-owned small businesses. By doing this, you contribute to equal economic empowerment and you help get a variety of products and services out there.

4. Meet up with women in your network

There’s no better way to learn more about other people's experiences than by taking the time to have a conversation with them. Try asking a woman in your personal or professional network to meet up (virtually or in person) and share your stories. This can be as quick as a 20-minute coffee break!

5. Donate to charity

There are many ways you can support women without spending money, but if you can and want to, there are local and global organisations that you can donate to. These charities do incredible work to create a world where women feel safe and free from gender inequality. 

Charities supporting women:

• UN Women: The United Nations’ organisation is dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.
• AnitaB.org: This organisation’s aim is to recruit, retain, and advance women in technology.
• NATSIWA: The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Alliance empowers women to have a strong and effective voice in policy advocacy.

6. Challenge inequality and show your support

We all need to do our part. Not just on International Women’s Day, but every day. So if you witness inequality, try to address it. If you feel like you don’t have enough information to have these conversations, that’s perfectly normal. If you want to learn more, there are thousands of books, documentaries and videos out there. Even something as simple as following a feminist social media account can provide you with bite-sized bits of information. Great Instagram accounts to follow include:

• @worldshaker or @thatdarnchat: US-based Fair Play Method facilitators, covering the equitable division of household labour an parenting responsibilities
• @professorneil: A US-based English professor who dismantles and deconstructs misogynist and sexist online content 
• @cheekmedia.co: An Australian-based feminist media/news company, run by the hilarious @hannahferguson_
• @womensagenda: An Australian-based women's news company with a daily newsletter
• @teachusconsent: An Australian-based organisation campaigning for holistic and earlier sex education; "putting consent, respect and empathy at the heart of sex education"

7. Include all genders

Gender inequality is not just a women’s issue. It affects all of us. That’s why it’s important that everyone is included in these conversations. So when you’re planning your International Women’s Day activities, invite and encourage colleagues to join – regardless of their gender. Make sure they feel welcome to the conversation, too.

8. Acknowledge the amazing women in your life

Show the women you admire how great they are. Just expressing your appreciation can inspire someone and make them feel valued. So pick up the phone and call or text your friend or family member. Or, if your company has an employee recognition platform in place, send an eCard to make someone’s day and show them how grateful you are.

Example of an eCard celebrating International Women's Day.

We hope that these ideas have helped inspire you to celebrate International Women's Day. If you're interested in learning more about our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion at Reward Gateway, you can find more information here.