Women’s History Month is celebrated every March in the United States, honoring the contributions and achievements of women throughout history. The celebration dates back to 1981 when Congress passed Public Law 97-28, declaring the week of March 8th as National Women’s History Week. It wasn’t until 1987 that Congress expanded it to a month-long celebration.
This year marks the 39th anniversary of Women’s History Month. Celebrating this momentous occasion helps shine a light on issues of gender equality and calls attention to progress made over time -- and how much more work remains to be done across the nation and around the world.
Gender equality continues to be an ongoing struggle not just in America but globally, as well. According to a 2020 report by Oxford Economics, “the average global Gender Gap Index score for 2020 is 0.68 — meaning only 68% of gender parity has been achieved across health, education, economic opportunity and political representation worldwide”. The report also found that “global gender parity won’t be achieved until 2095 at current rates of progress” (Oxford Economics).
The United States isn't much better off than other countries with regards to achieving true gender equity either; in 2020 women only made 82 cents for every dollar earned by men (National Partnership for Women & Families). This statistic highlights how far we still have to go in terms of closing the gender wage gap.
It's also important to recognize intersectionality when discussing gender inequality since women from different racial backgrounds experience further disadvantages due to systemic racism and oppression. This means that women who identify as Black/African American, Native American/Indigenous, Latinx or Asian take longer on average to close their pay gaps due to existing power dynamics at play within society ("The State Of The Gender Pay Gap 2020").
Celebrating Women's History Month each year helps remind us that there is still much work left ahead of us when it comes achieving real gender equity. To support this goal, organizations must focus on cultivating a diverse workplace culture where everyone feels safe, respected and valued regardless of their identity or background. Global Learning offers DEIB-focused consulting services with an emphasis on creating inclusive organizational cultures where staff can thrive irrespective of race or sex (Global Learning). By providing professional training that focuses on topics such as diversity awareness workshops and unconscious bias resources, Global Learning can help provide employees with valuable insight into how they can become better allies for one another in promoting fairness and respect at their places of work (Global Learning).
Recognizing Women's History Month is a great way for both individuals and organizations alike celebrate progress made towards gender equality while acknowledging how far we still have yet go before true equity is achieved - both nationally and globally. Life changing moments don't happen overnight; it requires dedication , consistency , hard work , commitment , allyship , persistence ; all things that Global Learning stands behind as they strive towards creating more inclusive working environments everywhere through their innovative DEIB solutions .
Commentaires