While we celebrate this special day with gusto and fervour, it is equally important to understand the true significance of this special day.

International Women’s Day is celebrated world over on the 8th of March every year to commemorate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It is a day to recognize and celebrate the contributions of women throughout history and to raise awareness about gender equality and women’s rights.

The origins of International Women’s Day date back to the early 1900s when women began to organize and protest against discrimination and inequality. This is the sad reality the world had slipped into, where women were being discriminated against, not given equal opportunity, or even their greatest achievements grossly undermined.

In 1910, an International Women’s Conference was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, and it was decided that a day should be set aside each year to celebrate the achievements of women and to promote women’s rights. Since then, International Women’s Day has become a global movement, with millions of people around the world coming together to celebrate the accomplishments of women and to demand greater equality and opportunities for women.

The theme of International Women’s Day 2023 is “Choose to Challenge,” which encourages everyone to challenge gender stereotypes and biases, to call out inequality, and to work towards a more inclusive world.

International Women’s Day provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress that has been made in advancing women’s rights, as well as the challenges that still exist. Although there have been significant strides in gender equality, there is still much work to be done.

For instance, women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions in politics, business, and other sectors. Currently of the 542 Members of the Lok Sabha, only 78 are women (source: http://loksabhaph.nic.in/Members/AlphabeticalList.aspx), and of the 224 Members of the Rajya Sabha, only 24 are women (source: https://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/member_site/women.aspx).

While the governments and civil society organizations work to address these challenges, women must rise up and stand at the forefront of this fight against discrimination. This includes addressing discriminatory laws and policies, investing in women’s education and skills development, and providing women with equal opportunities in the workforce. Women also need to challenge themselves to be financially independent and demonstrate the ability to take financial decisions. A survey was conducted by MYRE Capital reveals that only 27% of women make their own financial decisions, and the rest depend on others, mostly the men in their family. Financial independence goes hand-in-hand with women empowerment.

While it is important to work on policies to promote gender equality, it is also equally important to educate young children about this, and inculcate this sense of equality and fairness, early on. It is also important to challenge the harmful gender stereotypes and biases that perpetuate inequality and discrimination. This means promoting positive representations of women in the media, challenging gender norms that restrict women’s choices and opportunities, and creating safe and inclusive spaces for women to participate in all aspects of society.

On International Women’s Day 2023, let us all choose to challenge gender inequality and work towards a world where women have equal rights and opportunities. Let us celebrate the achievements of women and recognize the contributions that they make to society every day. And let us commit to taking action to create a more equitable and inclusive world for all.