WHEN WE GIVE, WE GAIN: CELEBRATING INTERNATION WOMEN’S DAY 2026

International Women’s Day 2026 is Sunday March 8^th and the official theme is “RIGHTS. JUSTICE. ACTION. FOR ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS.”  In addition, there is a complimentary global campaign themed “GIVE TO GAIN” which encourages generosity, mentorship, and resource sharing to advance women’s empowerment globally.

The focus on strengthening women’s rights, ensuring justice and taking meaningful action has been put in place to dismantle structural barriers that prevent equality.  The theme emphasizes that rights must be enforceable and protected and not just symbolic.  We’re in 2026 and women have only 64 per cent of the legal rights that men hold worldwide.  Please read that again.

Each year I research, summarize and give my own few words on #iwd and the stats don’t fail to alarm me year over year.  While gaps slowly close, women are still behind the eight ball, and it always reminds of something I experienced twice back on my corporate days but with different outcomes.

I had a new director come in and do a salary review of the entire team.  The exercise was to ensure that we were being compensated according to our job description and output.  He was shocked at how low mine was for my day to day but more importantly, in comparison to some of my (male) counterparts even though I had just gotten a promotion.  He said he’d go to bat for me but came back with a story of how I’d just gotten a promotion so an additional increase would have to wait.  Good new is that it came a couple of months later – great right?  Not so much.  It closed the gap a little, but I was still behind the pack.  To rub salt into it, the next year end review I was not granted the max percentage as I’d received this “off cycle” increase and that left me once again way behind!

Now fast forward a few years with experience gained as well as the confidence to advocate for myself.  I landed a higher role in another department, and the hiring manager expressed the same – why was I so low in comparison.  This woman fought her way all the way up to the top of the chain until I was on par, to the cent, with my new (male) counterparts and put in my contract that it would not affect my annual review/increase.  She taught me that “if they wanted to, they could” and that change is possible when everyone is supportive and willing to taking action.  People do not need to hide behind process especially when they’re doing the morally right thing.  Most of all, equality in the workplace is a necessity and not a privilege.  I worked my butt off for her during my time on her team and happily so.  She was a real one!

 So enough about me and back to our 2 themes this year.  Rights, justice and action for all women and girls is straightforward it but it’s one thing to say it or read it out loud and another to actually implement and enforce.  When we give, we gain.  Also, it is simple and it emphasizes the importance of collaboration to advance gender equality and women’s rights.  Whether through volunteering, donations, mentorship, advocating, education or just general support, giving to advance gender equality is welcoming provides opportunities for all women.

I would like to wish you a Happy International Women’s Day and I hope you do/did something just for yourself today.  I finished this post and had a very relaxing day lazing about, reading and catching up on half watched shows.  Remember that you are powerful in your own right.  You are one person and one person can only have so much output – meaning that it’s okay to lean on others and ask for help.  I’ll re-phrase that – “it’s okay to need help!”  We don’t have to settle and if we don’t like the situation, friendship or relationship we find ourselves in, we have the power to change it.

My 2026 word of the year is GRATITUDE  and the action along with it is practicing daily gratitude.  Today I’m grateful for all the strong and beautiful women in my life.  The ones who came before me, who taught me, gave me their time and advocated for me throughout my life.  In turn, I’m grateful to be able to do my part and give back through the work I do both paid and through volunteer efforts.

Empowered women, empower women and I’m so happy and grateful to be living it.

GORDON’S BAY, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – JAN, 2026

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