You know those weekend days where you spend hours on your phone, scrolling through feeds… Before you know it, your precious day off has gone by before you even realized it! Of course, you can use the weekends to catch up on some sleep but it’s also a great opportunity for going out to explore your own town. We’ll promise you you’ll feel more refreshed if you step outside and do something offline. That’s why we share weekly offline experiences and hotspots to discover. Isn’t that fun to do on your free Sundays?
And, as you might know, Sunday, March the 8th is International Women’s Day. Therefore this weekend is the perfect time for (even more) female empowerment and sisterhood. Why is a day like this still important, and what can you do to contribute this weekend? Here are some tips from us.
What is International Women’s Day and why do we need it?
Needless to say, it’s a day to celebrate female empowerment, but also unity, reflecting on past happenings and taking action. Various newspapers reported an article about gender inequality, showing sexism is still very real to this day. Here are ten facts, that require more global attention and urgency.
The pay gap is real (and expanding)
Intermediar reported that in The Netherlands, women on average earn €33.750 euros (bruto) less than men every year. You read that correctly: a year. When looking back at 2017, this number has even increased in 2019.Sexual harassment and violence
The UN showed shocking results that 43% of young women in London had experienced harassment on the street. Also in the Netherlands, the numbers are shocking. A national study by Ipsos showed that 73% of women experienced sexual harassment after they turned 15 years old. Furthermore, many countries still don’t consider marital rape a crime, and in some countries, it is even considered a marital duty to have sex. The right to say ‘no’ is still not globally accepted. In addition, numbers of rape incidents happen globally at a terrifying rate. Take India, for example, a country known for its crimes against women. A study showed that in India, every 20 minutes a woman is raped, which makes India one of the most dangerous countries for women in the world. Fear of sexual assault is limiting women’s freedom on a daily basis, which is why we need to step up.Abortion rights
Amnesty USA reported that about 39% of the world’s population face banned abortions. Countries such as Chile and Ireland only allow abortion if the woman’s life is endangered. The state of Alabama passed the nation’s most restrictive abortion ban last year. Women in Alabama forced to birth the child even if it’s a result of rape or incest. Any doctor who performs the procedure outside legal parameters, reported The Washington Post, could face up to 99 years in prison. In Georgia, women who have miscarriages and are accused of having performed their own abortions are charged with first-degree murder or even the death penalty.Forced marriage
UNICEF states that over 700 million women alive today were married before they turned eighteen years old. Often, these girls had to give up their education and limiting their future (career) opportunities. Levels of child marriage are highest, UNICEF reported, in sub-Saharan Africa, “where nearly 4 in 10 young women were married before age 18”. The region that followed was South Asia (3 in 10). Chil marriage also occurs in Latin America, the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe - making this a global problem.Forced sterilization
Unfortunately, forced female sterilization isn’t something historical. In the 1990s about 200.000 women in Peru were sterilized without them giving consent, reported Amnesty USA.
In history: Change & the Suffragette movement
A hundred years ago, the Suffragette movement emerged, consisting of courageous women who paved the path for us today. They protested to gain the right to vote and used dramatic methods to achieve their goals. Protests, vandalism, and even violence were used as they believed words didn’t do anything anymore. In contemporary times, some could reflect on their actions and call them extreme - but it is undeniable that they got us where we are today. Check out this short BBC news item on the Suffragette movement below if you want to know more about these women.
What can you do in honor of equality and International Women’s Day?
Of course, spreading awareness of these subjects is important. But this weekend you’ll have the opportunity to take action and hit the streets. Here are some things you can do to push humanity into the right direction.
Join the pledge of IWD.
Join the Women’s March in Amsterdam this Sunday.
Spread awareness
Host your own event
Involve and inform men. When we’re with more people, we can do more.
- Written by Suze van As
