International Women’s Day should be everyday
Today we mark the celebration of International Women’s Day, one day of the year where we reflect on inspiring women, look back at how improvements have been made to gender equality, and remind ourselves of the important role that women play in society. But surely we should be doing this everyday not just once a year?
Why women matter everyday
Sometimes people ask me why gender equality is important and this stems from caring about shaping our future so that future generations will look back at what we have done as one of the steps in improving gender equality for them.
Many women are talented that are overshadowed by their male colleagues, we need those women to have a voice so that our society is represented, to deliver better outcomes and so that we have thought diversity.
Progress so far in gender equality in the UK
- It has been over 100 years since women could enter the legal profession
- Women have been able to vote in elections since 1918
- In 1919 Nancy Astor became the first female politician
- In the 1960s women could obtain the contraceptive pill giving them reproductive rights and abortion was legalized
- In the 1970s legislation was passed to make it illegal to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sex or marital status and equal pay rights were granted
- Women now make up 75% of the legal profession
The number of women in senior management or on the board of directors is still low. This is down to the fact that women still face discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace and the assumptions that people make about women in the workplace.
How to make women matter everyday
We need to listen to them and take them seriously
If women are to remain prominent at the table which has always been dominated by men then we need to embrace that and we need to listen to them so that they feel empowered. Women are often overly criticized and overthink their words or actions resulting in them feeling like they should hold back sharing ideas or giving opinions.
Discrimination and sexual harassment
If we look back at the #MeTooMovement in 2018 huge numbers of women came forward about their experience of sexual harassment and discrimination. Despite the progress we have made for gender equality, it is clear that the attitudes towards women haven’t changed.
Even though we are moving to an increasingly digital workforce, that doesn’t mean that sexual harassment or discrimination has been eliminated. In fact, it will be easier for people to cover this up, and as the boundaries of personal life and working life, the increasing pressure people are put under in these challenging and uncertain times, and the casual dress code. This has a knock-on effect on the way that we behave with colleagues.
Companies need to ensure that victims of sexual harassment or discrimination know how to report instances and that they are dealt with confidentially and sensitively. The way we are monitored in an online environment could change.
Flexible working arrangements
There is generally a lack of understanding of women that have to juggle their family responsibilities with their job and as a result, face unfair treatment from their employer. If companies allow for flexible working then this would allow women to work their family life around their job which equals a more happy employee who can perform at their best.
Women don’t want to be treated unfairly, they want to be treated equally and gven the same opportunities that men are given.
