On March 8th, 2023, 100 Women Who Care Mississauga is celebrating International Women’s Day! This year, in a wonderful coincidence, our March Giving Circle falls on International Women’s Day and we will be taking the time to acknowledge it while we are also highlighting some wonderful charities in the Mississauga community.
History of International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day first took place on March 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. That day, over a million women and men attended public events to show their support. Other countries began to observe and celebrate this day in the years that followed. The motivation behind IWD was to promote equality, equity and better working conditions at a time when the world was industrializing and more women were entering the workforce, to give women equality by allowing them to vote, and other “radical” ideas for the times. It took a long time, but International Women’s Day was first marked by the United Nations in 1975, and in 1977 it was officially adopted by resolution as a United Nations Day.
In 2011, the internationalwomensday.com platform was launched with the specific purpose of re-energizing the day and inviting mass participation—a focus which continues to this day—by celebrating and making visible the achievements of women, while continuing the call for accelerating gender parity. With the launch of the platform came the launch of the annual theme. Past themes include #BreakTheBias, #ChooseToChallenge, #EachforEqual, #PressforProgress, #BeBoldforChange, #PledgeforParity, #MakeItHappen, and #TheGenderAgenda.
#EmbraceEquity
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is #EmbraceEquity. From their website, “Equity isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have. A focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society’s DNA. And it’s critical to understand the difference between equity and equality.”
“So, what’s the difference between equity and equality—and why is it important to understand and acknowledge this? Let’s start with a basic definition of each word.
Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities.
Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances, and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.”
“Equality focuses on providing all genders with equal opportunities, such as a woman’s right to vote. Yet, women often require more than a level playing field. They need to belong in a global culture that actively promotes and supports them in all aspects of their life, from education to the workplace to health.
Gender is intersectional, and women as a group are truly diverse. Policies that benefit white women, for example, may not benefit women of colour due to historical or current inequalities. A shift from gender equality to the process of gender equity is required for meaningful progress.”
How 100 Women Who Care Mississauga Helps #EmbraceEquity
If you look at the brief history of our Chapter’s Giving Circle donations, you will see that we have trended towards nominating and voting for charities that promote embracing equity within our community, by awarding funds to organizations that help elevate and provide dignity to underserved and disadvantaged groups, often women and youth. By elevating and empowering women, you are trending towards equity. When you improve equity, you are providing families with more equitable opportunities in life: less food insecurity, access to mental health services, parenting resources, educational resources, etc.
How 100 Women Who Care Mississauga is Celebrating International Women’s Day 2023
We have two upcoming, in-person events. First, on Tuesday, February 21st, we are holding a Meet & Greet for members and guests, at Social Public Eatery in Meadowvale Town Centre. We will be having drinks and appetizers, and the opportunity to chat, network, and have a lot of fun with your fellow 100 Women Who Care Mississauga members. We are asking everyone to wear purple in acknowledgement of the International Women’s Day colour, and we will be taking photos to share on our social media of our members in the the official #EmbraceEquity pose (a self-hug). Please confirm your attendance in the Facebook Event on our 100 Women Who Care Mississauga Facebook page. Guests are always welcome, so please invite a friend!
#EmbraceEquity International Women’s Day 2023
The second event is, of course, the Winter Giving Circle, on Wednesday, March 8th, starting at 7:30pm, at the Irish Club of Mississauga. Once again, we will be asking attendees to wear purple in acknowledgement, and we will have a selfie station backdrop in purple and silver for photos. We will also have some fantastic International Women’s Day/100 Women Who Care Mississauga co-branded Thank You swag for our wonderful members. A Zoom option is also available for those who cannot attend in person, and we ask that you also wear purple for our screenshot images. Please register to attend in person or online (you must register to receive the Zoom link).
Thank you so much for being a part of 100 Women Who Care Mississauga! We value your interest and participation more than you can know. Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on events and campaigns. And don’t forget, you have until February 14th to submit your charity nominations for the March Giving Circle. If you have friends who might be interested in joining and would like to know more about us, we are hosting a Winter Info Session via Zoom on Wednesday, February 15th, at 7:30–8:30pm. You and your guests can register here.
