International Women’s Day is a worldwide celebration with marches, events and campaigns highlighting women’s progress and ongoing challenges. It started in the US and became a global event in 1975.
When it comes to Women we could go as far back in time as memories and history permit. Women have always achieved (this was not always documented). The mere fact we are tasked with continuing the human race albeit with the help of a man is testimony to this. It was and to a greater degree still is the women’s duty to bring up the next generation with sometimes very little input from the men. It is important for women and girls to understand how far we have come to achieve equality in just over 100 years.
UK women did not have the right to say how they wanted their country (UK) to be run. In 1908 Emmeline Pankhurst (a leading figure in the suffragette movement) was organising protests demanding voting rights for women. This inspired many suffragettes to adopt direct action tactics, including chaining themselves to government buildings to demand voting rights.
Finally in 1918 women over 30 could vote, bear in mind all men over 21 could vote. Not happy with this woman still protested until in 1928 all women over 21 could vote. After this mammoth achievement the first women to have a seat in House of Commons was Nancy Astor in 1918. This paved the way for future generations of female politicians.
After 59 years of winning the right to vote we had our first prime minister – Margaret Thatcher. She was known as the ‘Iron Lady’, and rumour has it that she could make men weep by just one look.
Women no longer see roles in professions as “men only”. However, I believe we need to encourage more women to go into professions such as skilled trades and manual labour, construction, information technology, programme and software development. Within housing most surveyors are male. To change this, we need initiatives to focus on promoting the profession to women, providing mentorship opportunities.
After a century of smashing glass ceilings and rewriting laws we have gone from needing permission to open a bank account to running those banks! We still have a lot to achieve however but to put things in perspective the UKs women football team (the lionesses) were the first UK team to win the UEFA. This was England’s first major international championship since the men’s football team won the 1966 world cup!!!
Did you know before:
1919 – Women could not serve on a jury
1923 – Divorce was restricted for women. Women had to prove their husbands had committed adultery and or abuse and abandonment to get a divorce.
1940 – Many professions, including teaching and civil service roles, forced women to leave work once they married.
Imagine a gender-equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge gender equality, and #AccelerateAction.