The success stories of women’s empowerment that we observe today are the outcome of more than a century of struggle. Despite the progress made, there is still a substantial distance to travel, and the annual celebration of International Women’s Day serves as a reminder of this fact. In order to address the evolving challenges faced by women in their pursuit of equal rights, the UN introduces a new theme each year for International Women’s Day. Organisations across the world celebrate this day by keeping the annual theme at its epicentre.

What is the theme for International Women’s Day 2024?

Apart from this, an independent campaign i.e. The International Women’s Day global campaign has its theme as #InspireInclusion – Encouraging others to comprehend and appreciate the significance of women’s inclusion contributes to the creation of a more positive world. When women are motivated to actively participate and be embraced, it fosters a feeling of belonging, significance, and empowerment.

Let’s take a peek at the history of International Women’s Day.

The earliest mention of the women’s day celebration can be traced back to 1909. The socialists of America organized their first ‘National Women’s Day’; an initiative put forth by Theresa Malkiel, a labour activist and educator. The following year, 100 delegates, representing 17 countries, agreed with the idea to promote equal rights. What started as a socialist movement to end women’s suffrage in the wake of World War I snowballed into a global women’s rights movement. Later, it was adopted by the United Nations in 1977 as International Women’s Day and since then, the movement has been gaining incremental momentum.

8th March is globally observed as International Women’s Day to reflect on issues such as gender inequality, violence against women, reproductive rights, equal pay rights, and other economic, social, and medical oppression against women. It is a day to commemorate the struggles and success of the origin and history of women’s day.

Why Should Workspaces Celebrate International Women’s Day?

This day of celebration is about recognizing the achievements of women and seeking gender equality. This is a known fact, isn’t it? But it is not just about ‘a day’, its significance is bigger than that and it should not be marred by the decision to have a single day celebration. A successful IWD celebration should focus on bringing about changes that have ripple effects. This day should be the beginning of a long-term commitment to supporting women’s rights and promoting gender equality in workspaces.

What should workspaces focus on for this year’s International Women’s Day celebrations?

Sure, there has been a shift in the paradigm and we see women at the helm of corporations, we’ve also seen Indian laws such as the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplaces Act 2013 commonly known as the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) act and Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) being established at organisations to ensure safer workplaces for women. But are we really filling the diversity, equity, and inclusivity gap? Quantifying the Gender Gap in Technology, a study by Entelo states that women account for only 16% of senior-level tech jobs and 10% of executive positions. IWD 2023 is about minimizing this gap and focusing on the inclusion of women and other underrepresented communities in the technology field, leading to the development of more inventive solutions, with enormous potential for innovations that cater to women’s requirements and advance gender equality.

There are some key factors that should be at the epicentre of this year’s IWD theme and celebration.

• Achievement of equal pay for work of equal value.
• Prevention and elimination of violence and harassment.
• Creating a harmonious work-life balance for both women and men.
• Equal representation of women in business and management roles.
• Investment in a future of work that works for women.

Here are 7 unique ways to celebrate International Women’s Day 2024.

• Women’s discussion panel

With careful planning, a women’s discussion panel can be an engaging and insightful event that leaves a lasting impact. The panel can include women from and outside the organization. Choose a topic that is relevant to the audience and encourages a healthy discussion. Some ideas could be women in leadership, work-life balance, gender-based violence, women’s health, equal pay, and gender diversity. Ensure to include a diverse group of panellists who can bring different perspectives and experiences to the discussion. Ensure that the panelists represent a broad range of backgrounds, ages, and professions. Our CEO Smita Shetty Kapoor has hosted many such interviews and panel discussions during the last few years. Recordings for these can be found at the KelpHR Youtube channel.

• Fundraiser for a Women’s NGO

Women’s Day celebration is about empowering women throughout society. What better way to do that other than hosting a fundraiser event for a women’s NGO or initiative? Some of the causes that workspaces can host a fundraiser for include supporting women entrepreneurs, providing education for girls, and ending gender-based violence. The event can be a silent auction, a charity walk/run, or a gala dinner. It is crucial to run meticulous research about the organisation to ensure that the funds raised go to a good cause and that it aligns with the company’s cause.

• Relook menstrual leave policies

The debate around menstrual leave policies has been making rounds in the media for a few years. We discussed this at KelpHR’s IWD 2022 panel discussion. While this is a common concept across the globe, it is only recently that India has jumped onto this initiative. Zomato made highlights in 2020 for introducing menstrual leaves for up to ten days a year for its women and transgender employees. Since then, other private companies like Swiggy and Byju’s have also introduced similar policies. This Women’s Day, organizations can look at the option of revising their policies to give women the option of taking menstrual leaves. Menstruation is a natural process and so are the symptoms that come with it. By offering leaves, organizations can look at recognizing this phenomenon and normalizing it in workspaces. Trust is an important factor to introduce this policy.

• Personal branding workshop

A personal branding workshop can be a unique gift for women on Women’s Day. This workshop can help women gain self-awareness to make informed career choices and better align their work with their personal values. Personal branding workshops can help women build confidence in their skills and abilities, which can translate into improved job performance and increased success in their careers. It can also help women identify their unique selling points and develop a brand that represents their personal and professional values. This can help women stand out in a competitive job market and attract opportunities that align with their goals.

• Health check-up

Women’s health is one of the most neglected issues in developing countries like India. However, the circumstances are changing. To pace it up, workspaces can gift the women in the organization a free health check-up. Many women tend to neglect their health due to various reasons, such as busy schedules, lack of awareness, or social stigma. Offering health check-ups on Women’s Day could encourage women to prioritize their health and take necessary steps to prevent illnesses and maintain their overall well-being. It’s important to ensure that the check-ups are accessible and comprehensive, covering all the necessary tests and screenings required for women’s health.

• Health insurance for women

Speaking of women’s well-being, it is important to understand that women’s health needs are different than men’s and hence, the one size fits all approach cannot be used for employee health insurance. It’s time that workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion starts reflecting in employee health benefits policies. There should be women-specific health insurance coverage as part of their benefits package. In recent years, there has been a growing trend among Indian employers to offer health insurance plans that are customized to meet the specific healthcare needs of women. These health insurance plans are designed to cater specifically to the healthcare needs of women and cover various medical expenses related to women’s health, including maternity expenses, gynecological treatment, and critical illnesses that are more prevalent among women, such as breast cancer and cervical cancer.

• Webinars focused on Women specific topics

Organizations can look at workshops and webinars on topics relevant to their women workforce. Apart from having women leaders within the organization talk about breaking the glass ceiling; get experts to come and speak to and motivate women on challenges and issues for women; how to deal with them. Workshops focused on women empowerment and how to build women managers and leaders can also be organized.

Offering flowers and care packages are a great way to celebrate Women’s Day in workspaces. But women want more than just tangible gifts. They deserve a society where the above ‘gifts’ soon become a part of their lifestyle, they deserve to be constantly recognized and rewarded for their efforts. This Women’s Day let’s pledge to bridge the gap. Sure, it will take time. Rome wasn’t built in a day. But we have to start somewhere, right?

At Kelp we can help you organize such training sessions and workshops. Contact our advisors at +91-9500129652, email info@kelphr.com, or for more information visit about KelpHR.