The UN’s theme for this year’s International Women’s Day was ’Invest in women: Accelerate progress’. The theme presents the importance of women’s rights and gender equality in terms of the role it plays in sustainable development across the board. According to the UN, the key obstacle to achieving these ends is the lack of financing for the policy action needed to achieve these rights. The world is short of a staggering USD 360 billion annual deficit in spending on gender equality measures. But what does a day dedicated to recognising equal rights contribute towards these ends?
The history of International Women’s Day goes back to the early 20th Century, when people started fighting for women’s rights including the right to better working conditions, equal pay, and notably, the right to vote. The first recorded recognition of a day dedicated to women was first celebrated on the 28th of February, 1909, in the US. The celebration was the result of a declaration of the Socialist Party of America to that effect. The idea spread through several countries and territories until Marxist theorist Clara Zetkin, who was with the German delegates at the 1910 International Socialist Women’s Conference proposed an annual recognition of a ‘special Women’s Day’.
Accordingly, the very first International Women’s Day was celebrated on the 19th of March, not the 8th (like it was held this year), in 1911. The celebration consisted of rallies and demonstrations held across several countries. The International Women’s Conference shifted the date to the 8th, and the celebrations themselves gradually evolved over time to include marches, campaigns, cultural events, and panel discussions that all promote women’s empowerment and gender equality as a whole. These celebrations help commemorate the cultural, economic, political, and social achievements of women around the world, which have a history of being erased from the social consciousness. In doing so, it also serves to emphasise the ongoing struggle to achieve equality and equity for all even today. The day provides an opportunity for everyone to reflect on the progress that has already been achieved while calling for more change for the better.
The current ’status’ of women’s rights—or in other words—equitable human rights varies greatly depending on the country and the region. As a whole, most of the world has shown significant progress in this respect, despite the disparate challenges that affect them. Broadly speaking, the key issues considered in evaluating women’s rights in a given country or region can be described as follows.
Political representation
There have been clear improvements in the scope and the scale in which women have achieved equal representation in political discourse, both on the national and international levels. Some countries have of course achieved gender parity on a greater scale than others—others have some way to go. Whatever the region, women still face discrimination, cultural norms, and gender bias when striving for political leadership positions even in the 21st Century. Equitable representation is vital in arriving at optimal policy decisions that maximise the welfare of everyone involved.
The gender pay gap
On average, women earn less than men for the same work—or work of equal value. There can be many reasons for this disparity, from discrimination to gender-based occupational segregation, and lack of access to education as well as professional training opportunities. Unfortunately, the inequity of consideration for work of equal value between men and women persists worldwide. This leads to and perpetuates lost productivity for the entire economy in any country in which it exists.
Violence against women
Despite best efforts, gender-based violence remains a pervasive and tragic issue all around the world. This violence takes the form of domestic violence, sexual harassment, trafficking, and harmful traditions, and affects women and girl children alike. The lack of safety and security for women and girl children affects development in the present day as well as for generations to come.
Access to education and healthcare
The inequality of access to education and professional training impairs the ability of women to contribute to the economic process to the best of their ability. The same is true of their access to healthcare, which impairs the level of productivity at which women contribute to economic development.
Reproductive rights
The issue of women’s reproductive rights, such as safe access to contraception, safe abortion services, and maternal healthcare, remains hotly contested even in today’s day and age. The recent developments in conservationist areas of the US are a prime example of a disconnect between modernisation in the country and a regression in the rights of women. Legal restrictions, the lack of information and awareness, and societal stigma are considerable challenges to women’s reproductive autonomy and decision-making.
Work-life balance
One of the key challenges that women face in their day-to-day lives as well as their professional careers are the gender roles that are transferred upon them from birth. This is because women find themselves consistently burdened with caregiving duties in the domestic sphere, which often also passes unnoticed and unaccounted for in terms of their net worth to the national GDP. On an individual level, balancing these responsibilities with their career and professional development is a struggle for most women, especially those who live in traditional societies. Protective and supportive policies such as paid affordable childcare, parental leave (for both parents), and flexible work arrangements help promote gender equality and women’s participation in the workforce.
Women are the largest demographic on the planet that are under-represented, discriminated against, and disenfranchised. It is imperative, therefore, that everyone—women and men alike—commit to educating themselves on the manner in which this oppression is carried out. An international day that draws specific attention to women’s rights and the manner in which they are overlooked is just the first step in the campaign for lasting social and policy change that ensures the basic human rights of women worldwide.
(Theruni M. Liyanage)