Is it okay to have a National Women’s Day, and not a National Men’s Day? And does this make having a Women’s Day sexist?
On face value, one might say yes – that it does lead to gender discrimination – but you have to look deeper than this, to why Women’s Day started in the first place. It marks a time in South African history when women rose up en masse. They stepped up to the plate, found their voice and fought for an ideological cause (against the Apartheid government’s Pass Laws amongst others), influencing history in the process. Women’s Day is about reminding ourselves of those strong women who came before us and not to ever discount the fact that we can make choices for the betterment of society as a whole, not just women. Instead of focusing on stereotypes of women and men, it is a time to focus on celebrating femininity and female empowerment.
In addition, it is a reminder that not all women in the world are free and have equal human rights. We are privileged to live in a country where we have the right to an education, to owning property, to work, to earn a living and much more. However, while we are Constitutionally supported, there is still much work to be done in a country that, like most others in the world, was originally extremely patriarchal, and where that mind set is still deeply ingrained in various quarters.
We must continue drawing attention to issues that affect women today, ensuring that they are placed on both national, local and corporate agendas, for the greater good, such as:
- Equal pay
- Flexible working hours
- Sick leave for parents when children are ill
- Childcare
- Parenting education & support
- Women against abuse
- Sexual harassment in the workplace
- Equal salaries
- Sexual violence
- Domestic violence
- Creating women’s forums in the workplace
- Creating parent forms in the workplace
- Keeping girl children in school
And you may have noticed that many of the issues above impact on men too. So, in effect, Women’s Day and drumming up publicity and support for these issues, is becoming less about women and more about gender equality. Having a proclaimed National Women’s Day provides a platform for these important conversations and interventions to continue in order to empower everyone.
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Empowerment of women in the workforce means encouraging them to take more control of, and responsibility for, their own lives by:
- creating financial independence
- upskilling themselves
- advancing their qualifications
- fighting for equal pay
- demanding equal opportunities
- standing against sexual and domestic violence
- improving their parenting skills
- improving their relationship skills
- keeping perspective
- developing values to live by
- discovering the power of choice
- becoming independent and self-reliant
- crafting their own personal brand
- managing their stress
This Women’s Day, remind your female staff about the valuable place they have in society and how they can take more control over their lives by inviting an inspirational guest speaker with whom they can identify and who can identify with them.
As an inspirational speaker and best-selling author, I can offer you a number of solutions to meet your requirements:
Get Outta Your Head team building workshop – a playful reminder of how to be a human being rather than a human doing. Click here for more info.
Parenting on the Run – for working parents who are long on love and short on time. Click here for more info.
Brand You – personal branding in the workplace especially for network marketing and direct selling companies and franchise operations. Click here for more info.
To discuss your requirements further email me at nikki@0cb.ab6.myftpupload.com
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