Dear Community,
Today is International Women's Day!
This year’s theme, #BreakTheBias, calls on us to imagine a gender-equal world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.
A world where differences are valued and celebrated and we are all equal. It also aims to overcome the prejudices that sometimes make it difficult for women in the working world.
For example, there is the prejudice that women around 30 will soon become pregnant. Mothers are often accused of being "unpredictable" because the child is "constantly sick", and when the children are older, a woman is too old to still have a big career. The gender pay gap in the EU stands at 14.1% and has only changed minimally over the last decade. It means that women earn 14.1% on average less per hour than men (Source).
Discuss:
- As HR Professionals, what challenges do you encounter with these demands?
- Do you celebrate this day during the year?
- What are your thoughts on it in general?
And here's some history - how did Women's Day actually come about?
It all started on March 19, 1911, when Clara Zetkin first started the fight for equal rights and especially for the right to vote. At that time, Clara declared "these are not special rights, but human rights" and thus laid the foundation for International Women's Day.
A few milestones of women's rights:
- Starting in 1919, women were allowed to vote for the first time in Germany.
- Until 1958, women were not allowed to open their own bank account without the consent of their husband.
- Until 1977, women were not allowed to work without their husband's consent.
- From 1977, March 8 was officially declared International Women's Day by the United Nations.
Today, fortunately, such conditions are hardly imaginable and the role of women has changed greatly. But it was a long way, on which women fought for their today's rights and there are still global problems with the equal rights on which this day is to make attentive.
For me personally, International Women's Day is a day to remember what equality really means - whether you are a woman, a man, or a different gender.
I'm really looking forward to your thoughts on this!
P.S. On social media like Instagram or Twitter you can find all the information and discussions about today under the hashtags #IWD2022, #InternationalWomensDay or #BreakTheBias.
Best Greetings from Munich,
Selina