International Women’s Day!

Now here is a day worth celebrating! Two days ago, people from all around the world got together to celebrate International Women’s Day and its 100^th Anniversary. When I say all around the world I mean it literally:

-          Millennium Bridge in London

-          Brooklyn Bridge in New York City

-          Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

-          Grand Barriere Bridge joining Rwanda and Congo

Along with many other bridges worldwide.

This day is of particular importance to me at the moment due to my Dissertation as it regards Gender Inequality and Gendered Practices. During my research I have found out that progress in this area has been superbly slow, but made nonetheless. Women are asserting themselves more and more, especially in our generation as we have been brought up in an era of equal opportunities. Women are advancing faster than men after they graduate and reaching senior positions faster, however the glass ceiling phenomenon continues to exist as women go higher up in the hierarchy. The gender pay gap continues to exist with a disadvantage for women of around 22%, on average, in the US and the UK, however the percentages change depending on which sector they’re in. Additionally, young women are negotiating their first salaries as effectively as young men.  Also with regards to the work-family challenge, family-friendly policies have been attempted in many organisations resulting in some positive changes, however the household and childcare responsibilities continue to be a burden which falls mainly on women/mothers regardless of their job and working pattern. In my research I have found that the underlying reason for these continuing problems, is actually society and social constructs that people still hold regarding gender roles. Success in these areas cannot be reached until changes of a more fundamental and private way are actively addressed.

Women have been fighting this never ending battle for years and years and even in Egypt women were in the frontline of the protests. The suffragettes of the 1960s paved the way for us to continue fighting for change and they remind us never to give up. There are thousands of strong women around the world who continue to be treated like second class citizens but they never cease to make their voices heard and fight for something so basic and fundamental – OUR HUMAN RIGHTS!!

I will never understand where this inequality truly began..perhaps religion truly caused it all in the first place, but at some point we lost a battle against men and we need to level the playing field with all the fight we have within us. It wasn’t that long ago that some women were revered as Goddesses and treated with the respect they deserve.

 It is always good to remember that behind every powerful man in the world, there is a strong woman beside him. We just need to be at the forefront and stop hindering our lives in order to submit to the needs of men and allow them victory.