Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #IWD2016

“Women have always been courageous… They are always fearless when protecting their children and in the last century they have been fearless in the fight for their rights.” Isabel Allende

Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #IWD2016 – #planet5050 #pledgeforparity

Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #IWD2016 – Sustainable Development Goals

World Economic Forum: The Global Gender Gap Report 2014

The 2016 theme for International Women’s Day is “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality”. The United Nations observance on 8 March will reflect on how to accelerate the 2030 Agenda, building momentum for the effective implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goals. It will equally focus on new commitments under UN Women’s Step It Up initiative, and other existing commitments on gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s human rights. UN Women.Org

Why We Must Step Up For Gender Equality: On March 8th, we will celebrate International Women’s Day  and the theme for 2016 is Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality. According to the Global Gender Gap Report, there are disparities/gaps between men and women in four key areas: health, education, economy and politics. If we are to achieve the 5th Sustainable Development Goal of gender equality by 2030, we must encourage our leaders to step up their effort to make this goal a global reality. Stepping up for gender equity isn’t about putting one gender above the other, it is about creating opportunities for ALL of us, male and female, to have access to opportunities that open all doors to success. Without adequate education, healthcare, economic participation and political empowerment, we will not be able to effectively achieve gender parity.

“I write for those women who do not speak, for those who do not have a voice because they were so terrified, because we are taught to respect fear more than ourselves. We’ve been taught that silence would save us, but it won’t.” Audre Lorde

Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #IWD2016 – #planet5050 #pledgeforparity

Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #IWD2016 – Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality

World Economic Forum: Closing The Gender Gap

We say by Pledging For Parity!
Everyone – men and women – can pledge to take a concrete step to help achieve gender parity more quickly – whether to help women and girls achieve their ambitions, call for gender-balanced leadership, respect and value difference, develop more inclusive and flexible cultures or root out workplace bias. Each of us can be a leader within our own spheres of influence and commit to take pragmatic action to accelerate gender parity. InternationalWomen’sDay.org

How can You Participate? This year, the International Women’s Day organization is extending an invitation to all of us to take a Pledge For Parity as an important step to joining the conversation on gender equality. Why? Because we need to see both women and men come together on the issues and work together for equality in all areas of our lives. The Pledge for Parity provides us with two key ways to celebrate and participate/take action on this special day.
Using the hashtag: #IWD2016, we can CELEBRATE in a number of ways: Search IWD 2016 events and activity, Publish and promote your own IWD page, Watch IWD 2016 videos, Publish an article or initiative, Promote an organization or group, Donate to a female-focused charity.
Using the hashtag: #PledgeForParity we can TAKE ACTION by:  Making a #PledgeForParity, Reading pledges from global leaders, Taking action to accelerate gender parity, Sharing your support via Social Media, Downloading selfie cards, Embedding a pledge widget on a website. If you wish to participate in any other way on social media, use the following hashtags: #IWD2016 #Planet5050 #PledgeForParity as they will connect you to the many organizations and campaigns that are celebrating this momentous event.

Is Gender Equality Relevant in Our Society Today? Yes, every nation should make it a top priority to encourage everyone to give their best work in service to humanity. In order to be fully engaged in service to our communities, we need access to training, mentoring and funding. If women are denied such access then 50% of a nation’s potential is lost. I believe that all women have the potential to live fulfilling lives and we can do great things globally. However, female empowerment must begin with each of us working with women and men who believe in gender parity. Women must rise above petty bickering and learn to support and uplift each other and men must collaborate with us to achieve mutual goals. We must stop sabotaging our gender and align with men who support equality for all. For every wall we tear down, for every glass ceiling we break, for every stride we make for change, we must bring others along with us and mentor the younger generation.

The details for Motivation Mondays are below. Join in! The themes for February and March 2016 are:

02/01 – VALENTINE’S DAY–
02/08 – CHINESE NEW YEAR –
02/15 – PRESIDENTS DAY – third Monday of month –
02/22 – PAIN –
02/29 – LEAP YEAR –

03/07 – 8 International Women’s Day – 3/1-31, Women’s History Month
03/14 – 13 Daylight Savings Begins at 2:00 a.m., 15 Ides of March, 17 St. Patrick’s Day
03/21 – 19 International Earth Hour –  20 International Day Of Happiness, Palm Sunday, Spring (Vernal) Equinox
03/28 – 23 Purim begins at sundown Yin and Yang, 25 Good Friday, 27 Easter Sunday

Are You Looking for Ways to Stay Creative in 2016?

– Join the Daily Post Post-a-day or Post-a-week Challenge.

— Join the BlogHer Writing Lab

More Below!

“If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.” Margaret Thatcher

Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #IWD2016 – #planet5050 #pledgeforparity

Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #IWD2016 – Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality

Harvard University: Gender Equality: The Smart Thing To Do

Timeline of International Women’s Day (IWD)
28 February 1909 – First observed in the USA as National Women’s Day in Chicago
August 1910 – Attendees at the International Women’s Conference in Denmark propose the idea
18 March, 1911 – IWD was celebrated by over a million people in Europe; right to vote, hold public office and end gender discrimination at work were key issues.
February 1913 – Russian women observed their first International Women’s Day. In 1917, it became official in the region.
March 1914 – International Women’s Day was celebrated for the first time on Sunday, March 8, and this date has continued as the preferred/official day since.
October 1, 1949 – In the People’s Republic of China, the state council decided that March 8 would be made an official half day off holiday for women in China
1977 – International Women’s Day (marked by the UN since 1975), became a popular event when the United Nations General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the official UN Day for women’s rights and world peace.
March 8 2010 – International Women’s Day – the ICRC (Red Cross) drew attention to the hardship displaced women endure (refugees and others at war) and has continued its call to end armed conflict.
March 8 2011 – International Women’s Day – Celebrations took place in more than 100 countries in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day
March 8 1996 – Present – Every year, the UN adopts a special theme to focus attention on. The Theme for International Women’s Day 2016 is Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality. *See the rest below
Sources: UN Women Watch, International Women’s Day.com, Wikipedia

What More Can We Do On International Women’s Day? If you look at the abbreviated International Women’s Day timeline above, you will notice that the genesis of this movement started over a century ago. With each passing year, and with each new UN theme, we make inroads that benefit us all but, there is still much work to do. When I think about this year’s themes, Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality and PledgeForParity, I realize how much work remains in the struggle for Women’s Equality in an unequal world. By pledging for parity, we can join forces with others who are working hard to end all forms of gender bias globally.  Even as more of us leave the home to go to work, our pay is still 77 cents for every dollar paid to our male colleagues, and many women around the world face incredible barriers and limited access in the workplace. For most women with children, the work day continues when they get home.
In countries around the world, women are discouraged from getting an education, and this impinges on their ability to earn more. Gender parity is imperative if we are to move into a more equal world. In the 100+ years that women have demanded the right to equal treatment, our accomplishments have come through struggle and united action. Without the cohesive effort of women who believed there was merit in pursuing the collective vision of equal opportunity and freedom, we would still be in the dark ages of women being owned as property. There is work to do and all of us, men and women, can make it happen; it is imperative that we begin to appreciate the fact that it is the smart thing to do.

For More: Women’s Lives & Issues 

Source: Zen Antics All stories via Goodweb.cn

Positive Motivation Tip: Women and men can make a difference when they unite to end inequalities on all levels. Join the movement

Motivation Mondays is open to anyone who wishes to share a motivational quote, photo, personal challenge or a post that encourages others to start the week on an upbeat note.
Basic Instructions: Each week, I will have a motivation word to help us create a response. (See listed words for the months above/below)
Email address: You may email or share your post as a comment and I will add it to the round-up of related posts. email it to: contact(@)mirthandmotivation(.)com
Category tag: – Share your post using Motivation Mondays
Twitter hashtag: – Use this on Twitter #MotvnM
Dedicated Page: There is a dedicated page for Motivation Mondays. It has the same instructions and will include other helpful tools and a link to the round-up
Facebook Page: MotivationOnMondays Join our page and add your post and/or any motivational piece you think will be helpful to others.
Facebook Community: We have a Facebook community forum to compliment the page. It serves as another way to share uplifting posts and thoughts. Please join in and add your voice.

Badge: – I created a fun badge using PicMonkey’s free photo editing tools. You can create your own, use WordPress’ integrated tool on your blog or you are welcome to use mine. (see dedicated page)
Tag: – Motivation Mondays
Hashtag: – #MotvnM

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PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: Stories via Zen Stories on Goodweb.cn  Quotes via BrainyQuotes, All Photos: SDG UPDATE, UNO, SDG map via UNWomen, IWD via UNO, and via Wikipedia

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet