Five things you can do this IWD
A couple of years ago I was in Nepal for International Women's Day.
I marched the streets alongside women from our grassroots partner organisation. They were fierce and fearless and chanting "We won't stop! We won't back down! All the laws in Nepal should favour men and women equally!"
Their cries drove home why we started The Global Women's Project back in 2013. It has always been to support these women, these grassroots activists who won't back down when it comes to achieving equality for women in their communities. They need us to back their efforts. And so we do, every day.
And you can do it too, for these women, and the women in your own lives.
Here are five small, quiet but powerful things you can do today for International Women's Day:
- Ask one woman today to tell you a story about something she cares deeply about. Listen with open ears and an open heart, sending her the message that her voice, stories and opinions are worth listening to.
- Tell the women you love how incredible you think they are and that you value their contributions to your life and the world.
- Take a moment to honour the bodies of the women in your life, and to honour your own. There is still far too much violence perpetrated against women's bodies in countless forms, but let's also take strength from, and build on, that quietly rising global consciousness that says: our world recognises the feminine for what it is, sacred.
- Celebrate the immense progress we have made for equal rights and opportunities for women. Reflect on the cultural forces that threaten this progress. Take stock of how far we have to go, and what your role might be in the movement for equality.
- Take a look at our new Give Up The Stuff campaign, and back women around the world who are leading change in their communities. For as little as $1.25 a week or $5 a month, you can help us put practical skills and resources in the hands of women who need them most.
In solidarity and a Happy IWD,
Briony
CEO and Co-Founder