International Women’s Day – this is one day each year where we celebrate all things related to being a woman. At Riverstone Family Dental we have donated to WAGGGS (The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts) and are holding our very own event:
Why am I making such a deal out of this day?
There are two reasons. Firstly, take a look around you. There is a massive trend. Women are returning to work after having kids. Whether they return to corporate positions or work from home, women are choosing to contribute to the household income and their community at large. It may be because they are developing their own skills and passions. Or it could be due to the need to make money for their family. The biggest challenge we face as a society is how can we welcome and upskill mums back into the workforce? As employers, how can we accommodate their needs and be more flexible so they can balance motherhood and working? Secondly, I have traveled to parts of the world where women had limited opportunities or were treated horrifically. For instance, I volunteered in a country where female genital mutilation was a thing and I could not come to terms with that being allowed. It made me realise how much we take for granted, for example, education and freedom to choose what you want to do in life. For me personally, I was told that running a business is not for a woman. Many advised against it and suggested I work for other people in order to be able to raise a good family one day. Since then, I have met many successful businesswomen who are also great mums. It is interesting how life pans out when you listen to your own inner voice and embrace opportunities rather than listening to the noise of others. I feel that celebrating one day a year the achievements of single mums, career-driven women and everyone in between is a great idea for any business. Get out there and celebrate!
What is it about
International Women’s Day was originally called International Working Women’s Day. It is held on March 8 every year and is a day of recognition for women regardless of class, ethnicity or status. Almost every country in the world celebrates this day and uses this day to give credit and appreciation for women’s different achievements. This global women’s day has also been supported by four United Nations women’s conferences. At our special event, we will have guest speaker Judith Robinson. Judith served as the Acting High Commissioner to Fiji and Tuvalu, managed aid programs in South Asia and Africa, and represented Australia at the United Nations. She has been awarded a Public Service Medal & announced in the Australia Day honours list for outstanding public service to the development & delivery of Australia’s foreign aid program. Judith is an example of someone who deserves recognition on International Women’s Day because of her contributions to our country and third world countries around the world whilst being a mum.
How it started in the 1900’s
International Women’s Day first came about from labor movements in North America and across Europe at the start of the 1900’s. Chronology
- 1909 – the first National Women’s Day was held in the United States.
- 1910 – International Women’s Day was established and approved by an organisation of over 100 women from 17 countries. It was created to allow women the right to vote, hold public office, right to work and right for training.
- 1975 – The United Nations started celebrating March 8 as International Women’s Day.
- 2001 – The global internationalwomensday.com digital hub was launched as an important platform to celebrate the achievements of women and to continue calls for accelerating gender parity.
- 2018 – Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal (for women only), Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia recognise the day as a holiday.
How times have changed for women
For thousands of years, women were not permitted to go to school. Education was not allowed nor encouraged. Here are some of the things that have changed:
- Less women staying at home, fewer children born to families, more women in college.
- Law reforms and enforcements in the areas of reproductive rights, sexual harassment and domestic violence.
- 34% of women worked outside the home in 1950, it is more than 60% today.
- 30,000 women participated in intercollegiate sports in 1971 compared to 151,000 today; 300,000 girls in high school athletics in 1971, compared to 2.8 million today.
- In 1979, young women made 68 cents to every dollar a young man made. Today it is 82 cents.
- More women now are lawyers, doctors, dentists (there are more female than male dentists graduating), scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs (women funding and starting their own exciting ventures), politicians, professors and so on.
Why is this day important
International Women’s Day is a day when we celebrate and come together as women. Get involved in your local community and meet women who are going through the same challenges as you. Whether that be in the areas of motherhood, career development, domestic violence or mental health issues. Take a moment to think about the ordinary women who have played an extraordinary part in in your life and the lives of others. Use this day to celebrate these women and give them gratitude – if you cannot think of any, go home and celebrate your mum!
At Riverstone Family Dental we support International Womens Day.
Interested in our event this Thursday 8th March 2018?
Fill in your details below or call us on 8678 3538.
