International Women’s Day: A Call for Gender Equality
International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on 8 March to honour the achievements of women worldwide and to highlight the ongoing fight for gender equality. The theme for International Women’s Day 2026 is #GiveToGain, focusing on driving gender equality through collective action.
The history of Women’s Day traces back to the early 20th century, during a time when women were campaigning for better working conditions, voting rights, and equal pay. The first National Women’s Day was celebrated in the United States on 28 February 1909, and the idea for International Women’s Day was coined in 1910 by German women’s rights activist Clara Zetkin. The first official International Women’s Day took place in 1911, and since 1975, it has been sponsored by the United Nations.
Recent statistics reveal that in 2024, only 14% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with employees in the UK were female-led, a decrease of 1% from the previous year. Furthermore, the median gender pay gap for full-time employees in the UK stood at 6.9% in 2025, while women were nearly twice as likely as men to report feeling discriminated against due to their gender.
In the corporate sector, FORVIA has made strides towards gender equality, aiming to reach 30% women in the Top 300 and 35% women among managers and skilled professionals by 2030. Currently, women represent more than 28% of the Top 300 at FORVIA, a significant increase from 13% in 2018. Additionally, the company aims to achieve 38% women among external hires by 2026.
Elena Davidson, a representative from FORVIA, stated, “We are proud supporters of the Working for Change programme, which sees us actively contribute hours of support and expertise to women-led businesses and NGOs that are driving gender equality.” This initiative reflects a growing recognition of the importance of supporting women in leadership and entrepreneurship.
Judit Mora emphasized the significance of International Women’s Day, saying, “We approach IWD as a prompt for action and conversation rather than a one-day celebration.” She added, “Supporting spaces like this matters to us because it helps create opportunities for learning, visibility and shared experience beyond internal conversations.” This perspective underscores the need for ongoing dialogue and action in the pursuit of gender equality.
As International Women’s Day approaches, observers expect continued discussions on gender equality and the challenges that remain. The commitment to collective action and support for women-led initiatives will be crucial in driving progress. Details remain unconfirmed regarding specific events planned for 2026, but the momentum for change is palpable as organizations and individuals prepare to engage in this important dialogue.
You may also like
