8 ideas that are a thousand times better than giving flowers to or congratulating women on International Women’s Day
A year ago, the feminist movement in Mexico was experiencing a boom never seen before, women went out to march for a common cause, united despite their differences. They demanded respect for their rights and, in particular, to a violence-free life. On #9M, nearly 22 million Mexican women went on strike for the day, they refused to work, cook, and look after children for a day in protest against gender inequality that exists in the workplace.
Then Corona came and stole the show, making the gender gap even worse. Next thing we know, women’s economic participation dropped from 45% pre-pandemic to 42% in the fourth quarter of 2020 (ENOE), they are making 18.8% less money than men (OECD, 2020), and carrying out most of the unpaid care work, dedicating more than 6 hours a day to household management, cleaning, preparing food and caring for others, while men barely dedicate about 2 hours a day to these same tasks, putting 1 in every 3 women on the brink of leaving the workforce altogether.
What does women’s participation in the economy have to do with gender-based violence?
We now know that one of the main reasons why women can not get out of a situation of violence is because they depend economically on their aggressor. We also know that equal access to paid work is not only the right thing to do, but that, if women participate in the economy in the same proportion as men do, this would add up to 26% to the global GDP; in such a scenario not only women would win, but also the business, the country, and the world.
CEPAL states that, due to the pandemic, women’s participation in the workforce has suffered a 10-year setback, that in addition to the 70 years that the ILO had already said that it would take us to close the gender wage gap in Latin America. Not to mention the more than 200 years that the World Economic Forum said, pre-pandemic, that it would take us to close the gender gap in the world. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have that much time. It is time for each of us to assume the responsibility that lies in each of us and to be really intentional about solving this inequality.
There is a very powerful quote by writer and activist Audre Lorde, which speaks of how “those who benefit from our oppression ask us to share our knowledge with them. In other words, that it is the responsibility of the oppressed to teach the oppressors their mistakes.” So no, it is not women’s responsibility to educate men, neither companies, nor the system, but if you really cannot think about where to start, here are eight things that are a thousand times better than giving flowers or congratulating women on International Women’s day:
If you are a company:
- Start by acknowledging that the workplace as we know it, was created by and for men and that it is time to transform it to include the gender, sexual and generational diversity that exists today.
2. Train your workforce in terms of unconscious bias and, in particular, establish a clear and solid strategy to help women grow within your organization.
3. Evaluate and establish a plan to give parental leave under equal circumstances for men and women.
4. And if you really want to shield yourself against the talent drain that will follow the digital elimination of borders, consider setting up on-site childcare facilities.
If you are a man:
5. Now that you have realized the time, effort, and mental load involved in performing unpaid work, it is time to start participating equally in the fulfillment of these tasks.
6. It is also time to start questioning the way you carry yourself, to challenge the sexist and discriminatory narrative and the macho culture that currently prevails. Moreover, start challenging sexism/machismo when you see it. Stop being a bystander.
If you are a woman:
7. Believe in yourself! , you are a total badass, even if no one comes and tells you. Do your homework, talk more about money, find out how much your talent is worth and dare to ask for, and negotiate what you are really worth.
8. But above all, it is time to put your oxygen mask on first, focus on figuring out who you want to be, and put aside everything that keeps you from achieving your goals. Stop seeing the grass greener on the other side, honor yourself and other women, break the habit of putting yourself last, and dare to do your thing.
