Acknowledging and tackling structural barriers, reducing exclusion, and working towards joint efforts empowering women and seeking global human rights-based and intersectional solutions are important. In alignment with our vision and mission, part of our work on inclusion and diversity is to create an innovative university model that identifies and reflects on social challenges and seeks local and global solutions with the cooperation of the wider community. CHARM-EU joins to raise awareness of this International Day, reiterating our commitment to celebrate and reflect on efforts to tackle gender inequality specifically in science and education.

Importance of the issue

International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate women’s achievements and recognise how far women have come in society, politics, and economics and how far women have left to go. It’s a day dedicated to raising awareness of continued inequality. It was first celebrated in 1911 in Austria, Germany, Denmark, and Switzerland. In 1975, International Women’s Day became official when the United Nations started celebrating it. The first theme adopted by the United Nations in 1996 was “Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future.” 

Thematic focus in 2023

The theme for International Women’s Day in 2023 is “Cracking the Code: Innovation for a gender-equal future”. It is based on the priority of the United Nations 67th Commission on the Status of Women, “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”. It acknowledges women and girls’ contributions to technology and online education. It explores the impact of the gender gap in inequality and women’s lack of access to the online world. The International Women’s Day website was designed to “provide a platform to help forge positive change for women” and has chosen the theme #EmbraceEquity. Their organisers and events are seeking to “challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out inclusion”. The aims of the past are still relevant today. The rights of women and girls are not secure. Progress is often accompanied by a step back. In the past years, women in many countries like Afghanistan, Iran, Ukraine, and the United States have been fighting for their rights amidst war, violence, and policy changes. The United Nations reported that gender gaps in food insecurity, malnutrition, poverty, and increased gender-based violence had worsened worldwide due to war-induced price hikes and shortages. 

CHARM-EU’s commitment to working towards inclusive education, science and just societies.

CHARM-EU and its Master’s recognise that all students and stakeholders must step by step design and implement aspects of inclusion, diversity, human rights, and non-discrimination within our organisation’s culture, operations, educational activities and final educational projects. We are delighted that our Master’s programme includes discussing many human rights perspectives, such as one of the recent upcoming panel discussions on gender inequalities in food systems. We acknowledge that structural barriers, including stigma and discrimination, remain a huge obstacle to social inclusion. Joint efforts of the CHARM-EU community and actors will foster the creation of a more just, inclusive education and society. We are committed to shaping minds and developing structures to realise the UN SDG’s values meaningfully.

Joins us to raise awareness by using the hashtag #EmbraceEquity #IDW2023 on social media. Find more information by visiting the following link: International Women’s Day | United Nations

References:

• United Nations, International Women’s Day International Women’s Day | United Nations
• International Women’s Day International Women’s Development Agency official website: International Women’s Day 2023 | IWDA

Credit: 

This contribution was prepared in collaboration with Enikő Bíró, a student volunteer (ELTE BGGYK) & CHARM-EU colleagues.