March 2, 2022
International Women’s Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day 2022 is #BreakTheBias. Whether conscious or not, we are responsible for our own thoughts and actions and, through these, we can break the bias in our communities, workplaces, and education systems.
Gloria Steinem, world-renowned feminist, journalist, and activist once explained “The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist, nor to any one organization, but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.”
I’ve always been passionate about women’s equality and working at All We Can has only amplified this. ‘Intersectionality’ is a term coined by law professor and civil rights advocate Dr Kimberlé Crenshaw. It helps us to explore the dynamic between coexisting identities and connected systems of oppression.
All We Can endeavours to see every person’s potential fulfilled regardless of gender, however, the interconnectedness of all issues of injustice cannot be ignored and it is often women that are worst affected by poverty. Kimberlé Crenshaw explains, ‘This idea that we all have the same life is false, race, class, gender come together to shape the life chances of people in very different ways.’ It is also true that humanitarian crises, resulting from natural disasters or wars, deepen and aggravate the inequities of the patriarchal system in place.
It is easy to feel helpless when you hear about all of the injustice in the world, but there are some easy ways you can promote gender equality this International Women’s Day and beyond:
The Zubo Trust, one of our incredible partners in Zimbabwe, exists to open opportunities for women. Working in the Binga District of Matabeleland North, they promote and support the needs of rural women in the Zambezi Valley to realise their full socio-economic potential. The Zubo Trust encourages women to make the most of naturally available resources which also benefits children, men, and the wider community around them.
Rebecca (pictured) is part of Buniswa women’s co-operative which hand-makes traditional woven baskets from the Ilala palm tree. This project, supported in partnership with All We Can, aims to give women an alternative source of income to provide them with more financial stability- which is at the heart of our partnership approach. All We Can walks together alongside talented local organisations, like the Zubo Trust, to ensure that communities become stronger through our collaboration with them.
You can find out more about how All We Can works together with partners and communities around the world here.
