Happy International Women’s Day (IWD)! Across the globe, people are celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It’s also a day to rally for women’s equality. There are so many ways to honour women today and every day. You can start by donning the colours tied to IWD: purple, green, and sometimes white. These hues are linked to the Women’s Social and Political Union and are about branding and the meaning behind the day: purple signifies justice and dignity and green is a symbol of hope. Now that you have a little background, let’s take a closer look at IWD around the world and how themes and messages are being promoted.
IWD History
International Women’s Day was inspired by the labour movement. In 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City to demand shorter working hours, better pay, and the right to vote. One year later, the Socialist Party of America declared the first National Women’s Day. The day was recognized internationally in 1911 when Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland got onboard. This year was considered to be the first gathering for IWD, but it wasn’t officially recognized by the United Nations until 1975.
2021 Themes
There are several IWD themes for 2021. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is celebrating “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”. The impetus for this theme was the ongoing lower pay and vulnerable employment women face. Also, women have been nearly twice as likely to lose their jobs during the pandemic. The result is projected to be an increase in poverty and an even wider gap between men and women who live in poverty. Did you know that at the current rate of progress, gender equality among government heads will take another 130 years? It’s important to speak up now to halt the trend of gender inequality.
The IWD website has made “Let’s all choose to challenge” their 2021 theme. The idea behind this theme is that a challenged world is an alert world that can lead to change. They hope to inspire people to fight for a gender equal world and raise awareness against bias. Part of this theme is a social media campaign soliciting pictures showing a raised right hand as a symbol of a commitment to call out inequality and help forge an inclusive world. Using the hashtags #ChooseToChallenge #IWD2021, these snapshots can be submitted for possible inclusion on the IWD website and social media feeds.
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Video Spreads the Word
At Key West Video, we understand how video can elicit a strong emotional response. One emotion-packed IWD video statement comes from Anisa Nandaula. This spoken word poet, play writer, educator, and author was born in Uganda and grew up in Australia. She took the theme of “choose to challenge” and created a spoken word piece to inspire and engage her audience. Even with a plain background and single camera shot, the emotion and charisma of the speaker shines in this video.
International Women’s Day Globally
International Women’s Day is celebrated differently around the world. In many countries, it’s a national holiday. Some countries give everyone the day off while in others, only women are granted time off. In Russia, men buy women gifts and often flowers. In the US, March has been designated Women’s History Month. Although there are many parts of the globe that celebrate women on March 8, it’s also a time for protests. This day is not just about what women have achieved, but it’s also about how women are still struggling for equality. Marches and demonstrations are a common occurrence as people protest for women’s rights.
Celebrating Women in Canada
In Canada, our government has chosen “FeministRecovery” for the country’s IWD 2021 theme. Similar to the UNDP theme, this is in recognition of advancing gender equality and the effort to support an inclusive recovery from COVID-19. An Action Plan for Women in the Economy is on the government agenda to help women return to the workforce following the pandemic. They are promising a diverse task force for this initiative to ensure a feminist, intersectional response. There’s a related summit taking place today and tomorrow. You can visit the website for toolkits, free images, and information on the summit and other resources.
Need some homegrown inspiration? Visit this page for the Women of Impact in Canada gallery. Comb through the list of Canadian women who have made a difference in our country and beyond. There are profiles of changemakers in the Arts, STEM, politics, human rights, and more. Read up on Margaret Atwood, the author of many award-winning books including the Handmaid’s Tale. And discover the astounding music from Tanya Tagaq, an Inuk throat singer-songwriter and avant-garde performer. Tagaq has won various music prizes and awards and is a Member of the Order of Canada, as well as an advocate for environmental reform and the protection of Inuit communities.
Three Cheers for the Ladies
There’s so much to celebrate on International Women’s Day and so many ways to participate. Take a picture and use one of the IWD hashtags, find out more about influential women in your area, attend the summit, or simply recognize the value of the women around you. Today we salute the women of Key West Video—we’re lucky to have them as part of the team. Have a look at our portfolio to see some of their incredible work.
