“Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world.” —Hillary Clinton
Less than 100 years ago Women didn’t have the right to vote in the US. The passage of the 19th Amendment on August 26, 1920 granted women the right to vote. We celebrate Women’s Equality Day every year to press for gender parity in all corners of society.
Women Rising
How far have we come? Women are better educated than men. There are more women in the workforce than ever.
- Katharine Graham was the First Woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company in 1973.
- 60% of college graduates are women.
- Women earn the same as their husbands in 50% of marriages in the US.
In honor of Women’s Equality Day, let us explore women’s remarkable achievements who have transformed society.
Women Changing the World
Cecilia Grierson
Cecilia Grierson was the first woman doctor in Argentina. She was a physician, activist, author, inventor, and reformer. She also founded the first nursing school in Argentina, at the Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires.
For a woman to decide to study medicine in 1882 was unconventional and illegal. A female contacting human bodies was considered inappropriate, even for curing them.
Her path to study medicine was complex. However, it led to significant reforms and changes in the law that gave women greater access to education in Argentina.
Karen Sugar
Today, on Women’s Equality Day, when we talk of women’s empowerment, let us understand what empowerment is.
“A concept that gives life to the idea that a woman can be an agent of change in her own life, determining her own future. Within the context of my work, I define empowerment as ‘one’s ability to access resources, make choices, and determine life outcomes.” This is how Karen Sugar explains empowerment. She is the Founder and Director of Women’s Global Empowerment Fund.
Sugar founded WGEF in Uganda in 2007 based on the belief that women are natural leaders. When offered meaningful opportunities, can rise above abject poverty with dignity while advancing self-determination.
Dayle Haddon
Dayle Haddon helps women and girls around the world access to quality education. She is the founder and CEO of WomenOne, and a recipient of the UN’s Humanitarian Award. They provide adolescent girls social, emotional, and academic counseling, health education, and financial and digital literacy training.
“A child born to a mother who can read is 50 percent more likely to survive beyond the age of 5,” says Haddon. Some of the recent works of the organization include- creating a media and leadership workshop for Syrian refugee girls.
Suzanne Lenglen
Suzanne Lenglen was the World’s first female Tennis Player. She was a French tennis star and six-time Wimbledon champion in both singles and doubles competitions. Lenglen began her career in 1910 and became the sport’s youngest champion in less than five years. She was also one of the greatest women players of hard-court tennis in her time.
From political representation to economic empowerment, women’s achievements have been monumental. The advancement of equal pay, women’s participation in traditionally male-dominated fields, and the global recognition of women’s rights as human rights are testaments to our progress.
A standout example is the recent decision by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to grant women cricketers equal pay, reflecting a paradigm shift in the sports industry.
Why is Women’s Equality significant?
All industries benefit from gender parity. Everybody benefits, from politics to education to business to the economy.
- 33% of women in the minority party of the House are more effective than men in getting bills passed, a University of Virginia study reveals.
- Adult daughters of working moms in the United States earn 23% more than those whose mothers did not work during their daughters’ childhoods, discovers Harvard Business School.
- By achieving complete gender equality by 2025, the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that the global GDP may increase by up to $28 trillion.
- According to Catalyst, businesses with higher levels of female presence on their top teams make 34% more money than those with lower levels of female involvement.
It is everyone’s duty to cooperate and embrace equality from the heart. Each of us can start today to make this world equal – devoid of any bias.
Conclusion
As we celebrate Women’s Equality Day, I want to express my gratitude to the hardworking women who form the backbone of our lives—mothers, grandmothers, partners, sisters, and friends.
Let us commit to building a world where opportunities are accessible to all, regardless of gender. Let us all advocate for equal rights, regardless of gender. By encouraging diversity, we can create a society that thrives on inclusivity.
Empowered Women is Empowered World! I wish all women across the globe a Happy Women’s Equality Day!
