Celebrating International Women's Day 2023

"The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organisation but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights." International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women - while also marking a call to action for accelerating gender balance.

Balance is not a women issue. It's a world issue.The fact is things should be changing . Its never about which gender is better, but it is more about dismantling patriarchal systems, changing mindset, unlearning misogyny.

Stereotypes are being challenged and more diverse representation of women is more evident. The race is on for the gender-balanced boardroom, a gender-balanced government, gender-balanced media coverage, a gender-balanced of employees, more gender- balanced in wealth, gender-balanced sports coverage , a gender- balanced world. Gender balance is essential for economies and communities to thrive.
Collective action and shared responsibility for driving a gender-balanced world is key. Everyone has a part to play- everywhere, every time.
Some key targets of the 2030 Agenda  includes

By 2030, ensuring  that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and Goal-4 effective learning outcomes.
By 2030, ensuring that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and preprimary education so that they are ready for primary education.

Ending all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.

Eliminating all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking, sexual and other types of exploitation.

Eliminating all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

We've indeed come a long way. From International women's day theme 2015 "Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity" Picture it!, to time is up and 2019 theme being balance for better.
There is still a continuing need worldwide for more progressive mindsets and inclusive behaviors to be forged. We've indeed come a long way but still have mountain to climb. To all the strong women, heroine, Icons, and girl child. There's still more to do than breathing. Continue breaking barrier, shattering glasses and going beyond the status quo. Here's  to the exciting future of building a gender balanced world.  Better the world, better the balance.

International Women's Day

Each for Equal: Celebrating International Women's Day

By Adigun Taofeekat.

International women’s day!! The time to  celebrate women, their unflinching tenacity with impacts and achievements accrued despite gender inequality. It also serves as a  reminder for how far we have come in the struggle for gender equality, an outlook of the present happenings to women in relation to gender gap and a clarion call for what’s more to come in actively achieving gender equality.

Equality is not a women issue; It’s a business and world issue. In 2015, the world leaders agreed on a policy changing move with legislation adopted to proactively advance gender equality and eliminating all forms of violence and discrimination against women with sustainable development (SDG) goal 5 achievable by year 2030.

The apparent and unanswered question remains “Is any country on track in fully achieving gender equality by year 2030, invariably 10 years from now, considering current trends"?  One in 3 women globally experience physical or sexual violence during their lifetime, child marriage is still thriving with stifling discrimination against women. There are still staggering 72 countries in the world where women are barred from opening bank account according to a survey by  gender gap report.

Gender norms are quite poor even in country with best records for gender equality globally, typically far worse in developing countries with stringent and stifling gender norms and belief.  The sobering and disheartening fact of Global Gender Gap Report 2020 edition based on current trends reveals that overall global gender gap will not be closed for nearly a century and gender parity may not be attained for 99 years.


The women, peace and security index survey 2019 analyzed the dangerous countries to live as a female. Topping the list is South Africa, Brazil, Russia, India, Syria and Nigeria  all ranking high in oppressive gender norms, global gender imbalance, homicidal rates, sexual and physical violence on women, and discrimination. In Nigeria, there are passed laws criminalizing child marriage, female genital mutilation and gender based violence, yet these crimes are being perpetuated and constantly thriving.

Despite these gloom and doom tales, there are groundbreaking records and achievement made in the struggle for gender equality. We need more conscious effort to douse gender gaps in terms of economic opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival and political empowerment.

Collectively, we are all part of a whole. Our individual actions, conversations, thoughts, behavior, mindset, and dispositions have a huge impact on the society collectively. Together, we can help create a gender balanced world. Through collective action and shared responsibility, we can shape our thoughts, redefine our thinking, unlearn and relearn negativity. We can actively choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations, celebrate women achievement and speak out on discrimination against women.  The changes we seek requires action and participation from each and everyone of us.

We have come a long way in the struggle for gender equality journey but there are still many hurdles to cross. We must look outside workplace, beyond laws and policies and address the cause of gender imbalance gap from its underlying root. Focus on where and how discrimination and stereotyping breeds from. It is up to each of us, each for equal and collection action in ensuring a more better, equal and gender balanced future.