Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #TimeisNow

“We must work to increase the diversity and the number of people working on gender equality. Bringing in more men and boys, young people and faith based organizations. Together, like many other women in the world, we must say time’s up. We must not be afraid…” Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka UN Women Executive Director

Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #TimeisNow

International Women’s Day 2018: The Time is Now

This International Women’s Day, UN Women celebrates the rural and urban activists who have transformed the lives of women around the world. From grassroots campaigns to global movements, women’s activism over the decades has paved the way for women’s rights and a more equal future. unwomen.org

The facts about gender equality and the Sustainable Development Goals

More than two years into the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, gender equality is fundamental to delivering on the promises of sustainability, peace and human progress. How far have we come in turning the 2030 Agenda into results for women and girls on the ground, and what is needed to bridge the remaining gaps between rhetoric and reality? unwomen.org

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2018 : Theme Is Time is Now: Rural and Urban Activists Transforming Women’s Lives. For over a century, women have been fighting for social change, for equality, for voting rights and even for rights over our wombs. In cities and rural areas, women activists fight a daunting battle against the patriarchy and against archaic traditional beliefs that keep us in chains and unable to share equitably with our male counterparts. While there are men who champion the cause for female equity globally, we do not have the full sway of men in positions of power to help bring it to full fruition so, each and every one of us must stand up, speak up and say… the Time Is Now! On March 8, which is the actual day we celebrate International Women’s Day, take a moment to reflect on your journey as a female in your country and ask your mother, grandmother, and other relatives to share their experiences with you. You might be surprised to learn some eye opening stories about their generation and how far we have come in the struggle for gender equality.

GENDER INEQUALITY = GENDER DISCRIMINATION: For those women who claim they don’t experience any form of gender discrimination, they forget that their perceived freedoms come on the backs of those women who struggled to open the doors and smash the glass ceiling that prevails in many communities around the world. Learn about women’s history and celebrate the great strides made so far and the greater strides to come. Just because you have a good job doesn’t mean that women do not remain disproportionately marginalized in the lowest paying jobs.  Just because you don’t believe the sun rises in the East and sets in the West does not make it untrue. Just because you can’t imagine yourself living in the shoes of a rural woman who can’t get an education or a business loan does not make you fully free. Just because you learned inaccuracies about the word “feminism” does not mean we should excuse your refusal to understand that feminism is about women’s rights and that women’s rights = human rights. Just because you never had a #MeToo experience does not exempt you from the reverberations of societal norms that place unreasonable expectations on the shoulders of women in the professions and at home. As long as there are women around the world who live in some form of bondage; be it in sex trafficking, unequal educational opportunities, denial of access to land and loans, health related denials and female genital mutilation, sexual harassment, forced marriages and countless issues that impact our gender globally, we are ALL in bondage.
READ: Women’s Lives Matter
Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #BeBoldForChange
Motivation Mondays: Women’s History Month
International Women’s Day 2018
International Women’s Day 2018
Motivation Mondays: Women’s Equality Day #Quotes
Katie Roiphe – The Other Whisper Network
This Week in Women: Making Every Day International Women’s Day
SDG REPORT: Turning promises into action

“You should never let your fears prevent you from doing what you know is right.” Aung San Suu Kyi

Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #TimeisNow

#TimeIsNow: A Message from UN Women’s Executive Director on International Women’s Day 2018

In her message for International Women’s Day on March 8, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka draws attention to the work of rural and urban activists who have fought for women’s rights and gender equality. unwomen.org

Jaha’s Journey: From FGM to UN Women Goodwill Ambassador

Gambian activist Jaha Dukureh is a survivor of female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced child marriage. As UN Women’s Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Africa, she is committed to ending FGM by mobilizing youth and raising awareness of the harmful practice. unwomen.org

Feminism -fem·i·nism – a range of political movements, ideologies, and social movements that share a common goal — The advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes… Dictionary Definition

CELEBRATE GLOBAL ACTIVISM: As we gather to celebrate the efforts of activists around the world and the enormous burden that rests on the shoulders of rural women who often fight the hardest and remain marginalized and voiceless, we must come together to #PressForProgress by doing our part in our communities. Often, women are afraid to participate in demands for change because they think they will have to join in protests/demonstrations, even though public protests are not the only way we can make a difference. We can make a difference by staying informed and sharing helpful information that empowers others. Gaining access to information that helps us improve ourselves and our communities has a global impact that is long lasting. While the adage that information is power might sound like a tired cliche to some, there is great truth in the message and the power of knowledge. When we make an effort to know/learn more, we can share more and help more girls and women rise out of the shackles of poverty and oppression. If there is a great takeaway for IWD2018 that benefits us all, I would recommend that we take heed of the 8 ways UN Women have suggested can help us stay informed and engaged.  Making a commitment to practice any of them will make a huge impact wherever we are. Each of us can commit to:
1) Raise our voice
2) Support one another
3) Share the workload
4) Get involved
5) Educate the next generation
6) Know our rights
7) Join the conversation
8) Give to the cause

MISEDUCATION IS A DANGEROUS FACTOR: When we make an effort to get informed, we open our minds to a world of knowledge that not only empowers us but, helps us empower others. Without access to women’s history or accurate data on our female experiences globally, we make things up or assume our lifestyle is better off or worse off than the lives of women elsewhere. Even the terms we use like “FEMINISM – advocacy for women’s human rights” have been corrupted by misinformation and outright ignorance. Feminism is derived from the word – female – and there are so many philosophical positions women take under the umbrella of that -ism. To be female and believe in women’s rights/equal rights is a fundamental feminist position. So, when women say they are NOT feminists they are essentially claiming a level of ignorance about their gender that is, in my opinion, unconscionable. If there is one thing you take from this post today, it is that you educate yourself on the term and stop spreading or believing false claims about what it stands for. I am NOT a feminist is as ignorant as a female saying I am NOT female and/or I am Female but I do NOT believe in women’s rights…. You might NOT be my brand of feminist philosophically but, if you are female then you have a foundation in feminism. You just need to figure out what you believe about your rights as a female and define that. Join the conversation by educating yourself on the history and real figures/facts about women’s lives. It’s embarrassing when my fellow women make inaccurate statements without doing research. As women, we cannot afford to be misinformed or buy into false beliefs about our gender. Why? Those beliefs/lies are intended to divide us. United we stand and thrive. Divided we fall and fight!

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: You can join the conversation about International Women’s Day using the hashtags #TimeIsNow and #IWD2018 on social media. You can join by making a commitment to get informed and read up on the many articles attached to this post. Then, spread the word by sharing accurate information. You can also share the priority theme of the upcoming 62nd session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, International Women’s Day which is Time is Now: Rural and Urban Activists Transforming Women’s Lives. Come back for more on the subject.
READ: Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives
Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #IWD2016
International Women’s Day 2018
Time is Now: Rural and Urban Activists Transforming Women’s Lives
Photo Challenge: Wish For International Women’s Day #IWD2017
International Women’s Day: Inspiring Change
Motivation Mondays : The United State Of Women #StateofWomen

The details for Motivation Mondays are below. Join in! The themes for FEB 2018/MAR 2018 are:

FEBRUARY

01/01 –   01/01 New Year’s Day, 01/04  World Braille Day, 01/07 Orthodox Christmas, Golden Globes Award
01/08 –   01/11 Human Trafficking Awareness,  01/14 Orthodox New Year,
01/15 –   01/15  Martin Luther King Day,  01/21 World Religion Day,
01/22 –   01/26 International Customs Day, 01/27 International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
01/28 –   01/28  Grammy Awards,

MARCH

03/04 – Women’s History Month, National Nutrition Month, Irish-American Heritage Month, American Red Cross Month, 08 International Women’s Day, World Kidney Day, 04 Academy Awards
03/11 – 11 Daylight Savings, 14 Pi Day, 15 World Consumer Rights Day, 17 St Patrick’s Day
03/18 – 19 St Joseph, 20 International Day of Happiness, 21 World poetry Day, 22 World Water day, 24 Earth Hour
03/25 – Palm Sunday, 29 Holy Thursday, 30 Good Friday, 31 Passover

Are You Looking for Ways to Stay Creative in 2018?

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

— Join the BlogHer Writing Lab

MORE BELOW!

“Women’s rights are human rights. But in these troubled times, as our world becomes more unpredictable and chaotic, the rights of women and girls are being reduced, restricted and reversed. Empowering women and girls is the only way to protect their rights and make sure they can realize their full potential.” António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General

Motivation Mondays: International Women’s Day #TimeisNow

Turning Promises into Action: It’s time for a gender data revolution

UN Women looks at what it will really take to achieve the 2030 Agenda in its new flagship report “Turning promises into action: Gender equality in the 2030 Agenda”. The report takes a look at all 17 SDGs, showing their impact on the lives of women and girls and highlighting how the different dimensions of well-being and deprivation are deeply intertwined. unwomen.org

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.
IWD 2017 theme is “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030”  and #BeBoldForChange- *See the rest below Sources: UN Women Watch, International Women’s Day.com, Wikipedia

What more can we do? When Cher said that ” Women are the real architects of society…” it resonated deeply with me because we do carry half the world on our shoulders. Yet, we often discount our contributions or allow others to dictate where and when we should be heard. Women carry enormous responsibilities in the household and in the community, and yet, we give away our voices and our credit so we can fit an idealized role that no longer serves us. Yes, we are mothers, workers, and heads of households, and we must honor all our parts. Come back for more on this topic and commit to take action even by taking a single step this year. Time Is Now!
READ: The UN Secretary-General’s Message on International Women’s Day
Eight ways you can be a women’s rights advocate today, and every day
INTERACTIVE MEDIA
Photo essay: Rural women, human rights
International Women’s Day: We’ve Come A Long Way…
Today is International Women’s Day
Have a peaceful and productive week ahead!

Any Zen Antics stories via

Positive Motivation Tip: When we stand up for female empowerment and mentor others, we are creating a legacy of hope and growth.

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: All Photos, International Women’s Day via Pixabay,  AND/OR  via  Wikipedia…

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