Every year on March 8, we celebrate the extraordinary achievements of women around the world. We herald the accomplishments of brave trailblazers who have unapologetically laid claim to what is theirs; we also acknowledge the countless acts of courage and determination by everyday women who are forging a more inclusive future for us all.
Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.
ARUNDHATI ROY
In the last year alone, we have witnessed some promising milestones on the road to equality. Notably, Kamala Harris shattered political barriers when she became the United States’ first female vice president and the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history — not to mention, the first African American and Asian American vice president.
2020 also marked the first time two women were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The honour went to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna for their ground-breaking discovery and development of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing — a revolutionary technology that is contributing to new cancer therapies and may potentially help cure inherited diseases.
Perhaps some of the most remarkable feats from this past year come from the women at the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. As health care workers, caregivers, innovators, community organizers and national leaders, women have played a fundamental role in combating the pandemic. However, while the crisis has emphasised the centrality of women’s contributions, it has also made manifest disproportionate burdens on women. In response, the UN Women’s theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID-19 World.
The theme celebrates the incredible efforts by women in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Women leaders have proven they have the knowledge and skills to effectively lead in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. In fact, the majority of the countries headed by women (i.e. Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, New Zealand and Slovakia) have been widely recognized for not only the effectiveness of their national response to COVID-19, but also their empathetic delivery of fact-based public health information.
Unfortunately, due to pre-existing social and systemic barriers, women are still drastically underrepresented as Heads of State and in leadership roles globally, including national and global COVID-19 policy functions. In addition, new barriers to equality have emerged during COVID-19, including an increase of domestic violence, unpaid care duties, unemployment and poverty.
It is vital the perspectives of women and girls are integrated into the formulation and implementation of policies and programs of pandemic response and recovery — not only to uphold women’s rights, but to benefit from their leadership. As we move forward, let’s strive for a more inclusive world collectively. Let’s challenge and call out our gender bias and inequality. Let’s work together to empower the women in our lives and communities. Let’s make every day International Women’s Day. #ChooseToChallenge
