Today is International Women’s day!

The first time International Women’s day was honoured was around 111 years ago, in Denmark, Austria, Germany and Switzerland. In 1911, millions of people stepped up to campaign for women’s rights and liberation, including their right to vote, to work and to hold public office. Since then, International women’s day is not only a key date, but a powerful movement which aims to ‘create a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable and inclusive.’

The theme of this year’s International Women’s day is #EmbraceEquity

Many people are aware of the term ‘gender equality’, and this is understood as things being ‘fair’ between all genders. However, the concept of fairness is often assumed that ‘being fair’ means that ‘everybody gets the same thing’, which would only truly be ‘fair’ if everyone had the same circumstances to start out with.

Equality can be positive, however it is limited as it doesn’t take into account people’s individual needs. That’s where equity comes in. Equity is a more long-term and sustainable solution as it acknowledges that people don’t begin life in the same place, with the same resources or circumstances, which can make it more difficult for people to achieve the same life goals. By taking into account an individual’s respective needs, social imbalances are addressed and people are allocated the exact resources, benefits and opportunities needed for them to reach a feasible outcome.

Susan K. Gardner, Dean of College of Education, Oregon State University states that;

“Equality is giving everyone a shoe. Equity is giving everyone a shoe that fits.”

Inequity affects many, but historically it has most commonly marginalised communities such as women, people of colour, disabled people, the economically disadvantaged and the LGBTQ+ community. ‘Equal opportunities’ are no longer enough as they negatively affect marginalised communities by not taking into account their individual needs. For example, policies that benefit white women may not benefit women of colour due to historical or current inequalities.

Gender equity means addressing gender inequalities that can limit a person’s access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. Through gender equity, people are respected without discrimination and their opportunities and lifestyle aren't dependent on, or constrained by, their gender. Women worldwide deserve gender equity, and this can be made possible by women being able to access support and resources which will ‘level the playing field’ for them. Understanding the need for gender equity is only the tip of the iceberg - familiarise yourself with Key Intersectional Feminist Texts to better your knowledge and understanding of how women experience discrimination and individual social imbalances in society.

This International Women’s day, (and everyday!) you can #EmbraceEquity by supporting women’s rights, calling out discrimination, and celebrating women.

Join the University of Salford's Women's Voice Network on-campus at their International Women's Day Event. In Atmosphere from 12-1pm there will be tea, coffee and cakes, an informal discussion about how we can all embrace equity and work towards gender equity in the workplace.