International Women's Day - March 8 - Celebration and Review
by Dr Linda S.Spedding
Introductory Remarks
Women in Law International (WiL) has been consistently committed to the realisation of the potential of the individual regardless of gender, age and background in particular since it was founded in 2004 - twenty years ago! When the writer first entered the legal profession as a very young female Solicitor in England and Wales above all she was hoping to create positive change through service to the community and humanity with a universal approach. Her Doctorate related to the Freedom of Movement of the Legal Profession and her book on “Transnational Legal Practice” reflected her interest in removing unnecessary barriers whenever and wherever possible and in living in a way that can bring out the best in the individual. While her experience of being a female lawyer has had fluctuating challenges, having qualified in the U.K., worked in the Legal Service of the European Commission, qualified in the USA and India, her underlying values regarding ethics, transparency and integrity have not.
Through the philosophy of the Vedic Sanatan Dharma that the writer has integrated over the last 30 years as Vice President of Adhyatmik Foundation Inc. she has been and felt privileged to enhance her understanding that self discipline, balance and harmony are vital to a healthy happy life - which is a fundamental WiL objective. Balance is indeed paramount to health and happiness in her view (see further www.lindaspedding.org and www.balancedlives.info)
Looking back over the years of WiL with gratitude, one of the significant occasions has been the observance of International Women’s Day (IWD) that has been celebrated annually with increasing positive engagement from lawyers of different ages and stages across the World. Each year has witnessed a different individual specific theme to support the IWD mission.
IWD Background
As has been mentioned previously, in 1910, during the International Conference of Working Women held in Copenhagen, Clara Zetkin proposed establishing an annual Women's Day to advocate for women's rights and suffrage. The proposal was evidently met with unanimous approval. This led to the first International Women's Day being celebrated in 1911 by over a million people across Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland.International Women's Day therefore holds immense significance as a point for gender equality and women's rights.
IWD is described as a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Each year, this day serves as a powerful and vivid reminder of the progress made towards gender equality, while emphasising the work that remains outstanding.
Interestingly, as noted before, when the women’s movement commenced, the colours purple, green and white were used to represent the cause. Purple apparently signified loyalty towards the women’s movement, green signified hope, while white indicated purity. Purple became the colour for the movement that supported women’s right to vote in the USA. Furthermore, purple is the outcome when you mix pink and blue. In other words, pink is said to be the colour represented for feminine energies while blue is used for masculine. When you mix the two colours, you get a middle tone, which is purple. Accordingly, it can also be said that purple is used to express equality.
2024 Theme - Invest in women: Accelerate progress
It has been announced that the overarching theme for IWD 2024 is "Invest in women: Accelerate progress." This theme emphasises the vital role of investing in women's education, healthcare, economic empowerment, and leadership development in order to accelerate progress towards gender equality. By investing in women, we can not only enhance individual opportunities and livelihoods but also create positive social and economic outcomes for communities and nations.
IWD, as has been explained before, involves many on the ground events, activities, and positive initiatives are organised worldwide to celebrate women's achievements, raise awareness about gender equality issues, and advocate for positive change. These may include panel discussions, workshops, art exhibitions, film screenings, marches, and social media campaigns. Additionally, it is noted that individuals and organisations often take advantage of this day to honour inspirational women in their lives and communities, amplify women's voices, and pledge support for gender equality initiatives.
Let us all visualise a gender equal world, as IWD encourages. A world without bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A universal understanding that emphasizes the importance of diversity and empowerment in all aspects of society.This year's IWD campaign theme highlights the significance of inclusion in achieving gender equality. The campaign calls for action to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create environments where all women are valued and respected.This is an opportunity to evaluate accomplishments and renew the commitment to solutions that enable gender equality and empower women and girls.
Inspire Inclusion Campaign
The campaign theme for IWD 2024 is Inspire Inclusion. WiL has always been inclusive inits policy and mission. EvidentlyInspire Inclusion in the IWD Campaign encourages all humanity to recognize the unique perspectives and contributions of women from all walks of life - including,importantly, marginalized communities. It is reported that a key pillar of Inspire Inclusion is the promotion of diversity in leadership and decision-making positions which WiL has been advocating for many years. Women, especially in underrepresented groups, continue to face ongoing barriers when seeking leadership roles. By championing inclusion, organizations and communities can harness the full potential of diverse perspectives, leading to better decision-making and innovation, as the writer has recommended over the years.
We can indeed move toward a world where difference is valued and celebrated, as IWD suggests. Together we can forge and develop women's equality. Of course it is recognised that education and awareness play vital roles in fostering inclusion and empowering women. Through initiatives such as mentorship programs, education workshops and advocacy campaigns - as WiL has offered over many years - individuals and organizations can indeed create opportunities for women to thrive. Clearly, by enabling support and resources, women can be empowered to overcome obstacles and achieve their full potential.
WiL has found that when we inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion, we create a better society and world. Moreover when women themselves are inspired to be included, a sense of belonging, relevance and self empowerment follows. As we celebrate IWD 2024 and reflect on the theme of Inspire Inclusion, as encouraged by this movement, let us reaffirm our commitment to creating a world where all women are empowered, valued and included universally.
Concluding Remarks
By working together to break down barriers and foster diversity, we can build a more equitable and inclusive society for generations to come.
As IWD states:
"Collectively, let's forge a more inclusive world for women. Celebrate women's achievement. Raise awareness about discrimination. Take action to drive gender parity. IWD belongs to everyone, everywhere.”
Happy International Women’s Day to everyone!
Women in Law International (WiL) has been consistently committed to the realisation of the potential of the individual regardless of gender, age and background in particular since it was founded in 2004 - twenty years ago! When the writer first entered the legal profession as a very young female Solicitor in England and Wales above all she was hoping to create positive change through service to the community and humanity with a universal approach. Her Doctorate related to the Freedom of Movement of the Legal Profession and her book on “Transnational Legal Practice” reflected her interest in removing unnecessary barriers whenever and wherever possible and in living in a way that can bring out the best in the individual. While her experience of being a female lawyer has had fluctuating challenges, having qualified in the U.K., worked in the Legal Service of the European Commission, qualified in the USA and India, her underlying values regarding ethics, transparency and integrity have not.
Through the philosophy of the Vedic Sanatan Dharma that the writer has integrated over the last 30 years as Vice President of Adhyatmik Foundation Inc. she has been and felt privileged to enhance her understanding that self discipline, balance and harmony are vital to a healthy happy life - which is a fundamental WiL objective. Balance is indeed paramount to health and happiness in her view (see further www.lindaspedding.org and www.balancedlives.info)
Looking back over the years of WiL with gratitude, one of the significant occasions has been the observance of International Women’s Day (IWD) that has been celebrated annually with increasing positive engagement from lawyers of different ages and stages across the World. Each year has witnessed a different individual specific theme to support the IWD mission.
IWD Background
As has been mentioned previously, in 1910, during the International Conference of Working Women held in Copenhagen, Clara Zetkin proposed establishing an annual Women's Day to advocate for women's rights and suffrage. The proposal was evidently met with unanimous approval. This led to the first International Women's Day being celebrated in 1911 by over a million people across Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland.International Women's Day therefore holds immense significance as a point for gender equality and women's rights.
IWD is described as a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Each year, this day serves as a powerful and vivid reminder of the progress made towards gender equality, while emphasising the work that remains outstanding.
Interestingly, as noted before, when the women’s movement commenced, the colours purple, green and white were used to represent the cause. Purple apparently signified loyalty towards the women’s movement, green signified hope, while white indicated purity. Purple became the colour for the movement that supported women’s right to vote in the USA. Furthermore, purple is the outcome when you mix pink and blue. In other words, pink is said to be the colour represented for feminine energies while blue is used for masculine. When you mix the two colours, you get a middle tone, which is purple. Accordingly, it can also be said that purple is used to express equality.
2024 Theme - Invest in women: Accelerate progress
It has been announced that the overarching theme for IWD 2024 is "Invest in women: Accelerate progress." This theme emphasises the vital role of investing in women's education, healthcare, economic empowerment, and leadership development in order to accelerate progress towards gender equality. By investing in women, we can not only enhance individual opportunities and livelihoods but also create positive social and economic outcomes for communities and nations.
IWD, as has been explained before, involves many on the ground events, activities, and positive initiatives are organised worldwide to celebrate women's achievements, raise awareness about gender equality issues, and advocate for positive change. These may include panel discussions, workshops, art exhibitions, film screenings, marches, and social media campaigns. Additionally, it is noted that individuals and organisations often take advantage of this day to honour inspirational women in their lives and communities, amplify women's voices, and pledge support for gender equality initiatives.
Let us all visualise a gender equal world, as IWD encourages. A world without bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A universal understanding that emphasizes the importance of diversity and empowerment in all aspects of society.This year's IWD campaign theme highlights the significance of inclusion in achieving gender equality. The campaign calls for action to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create environments where all women are valued and respected.This is an opportunity to evaluate accomplishments and renew the commitment to solutions that enable gender equality and empower women and girls.
Inspire Inclusion Campaign
The campaign theme for IWD 2024 is Inspire Inclusion. WiL has always been inclusive inits policy and mission. EvidentlyInspire Inclusion in the IWD Campaign encourages all humanity to recognize the unique perspectives and contributions of women from all walks of life - including,importantly, marginalized communities. It is reported that a key pillar of Inspire Inclusion is the promotion of diversity in leadership and decision-making positions which WiL has been advocating for many years. Women, especially in underrepresented groups, continue to face ongoing barriers when seeking leadership roles. By championing inclusion, organizations and communities can harness the full potential of diverse perspectives, leading to better decision-making and innovation, as the writer has recommended over the years.
We can indeed move toward a world where difference is valued and celebrated, as IWD suggests. Together we can forge and develop women's equality. Of course it is recognised that education and awareness play vital roles in fostering inclusion and empowering women. Through initiatives such as mentorship programs, education workshops and advocacy campaigns - as WiL has offered over many years - individuals and organizations can indeed create opportunities for women to thrive. Clearly, by enabling support and resources, women can be empowered to overcome obstacles and achieve their full potential.
WiL has found that when we inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion, we create a better society and world. Moreover when women themselves are inspired to be included, a sense of belonging, relevance and self empowerment follows. As we celebrate IWD 2024 and reflect on the theme of Inspire Inclusion, as encouraged by this movement, let us reaffirm our commitment to creating a world where all women are empowered, valued and included universally.
Concluding Remarks
By working together to break down barriers and foster diversity, we can build a more equitable and inclusive society for generations to come.
As IWD states:
"Collectively, let's forge a more inclusive world for women. Celebrate women's achievement. Raise awareness about discrimination. Take action to drive gender parity. IWD belongs to everyone, everywhere.”
Happy International Women’s Day to everyone!