Originally published on  https://www.cusu.org/opportunities/campaigns/internationalwomensday/iwd/

The brief was to provide a comprehensive overview of what International Women’s Day is, what the aim for the 2017 campaign was, and how the students’ union was marking the day, including student activities. As a piece that would be delivered to the student body, it had to highly accessible in terms of language, but also informative to highlight the importance of the day.

Every year on the 8th March, the world comes together to celebrate International Women’s Day. This year, the theme is ‘Be Bold for Change’ and looks to celebrate the achievements of women in their local communities, and to raise awareness of ongoing issues women face around the world. #BeBoldForChange focuses on the importance of creating a fairer, more gender equal world that works together. Last year’s theme #PledgeforParity, aimed to help women and girls achieve their ambitions and dreams by defeating conscious and unconscious bias, and saw a huge surge of support for the campaign. #BeBoldForChange builds on this by encouraging people to make changes in their own communities, to fight against gender inequality by coming together and making real, positive, bold changes for women and girls.

While we have made great strides for women with access to healthcare, education, and work, as well as seeing more women in business, science, and global leadership, there’s still more for us to do in achieving equality for women everywhere.  International Women’s Day hopes to highlight these issues and continuing the campaign momentum in communities around the world, with issues that they can tackle and change.

International Women’s Day has been celebrated since the early 1900s, and has always looked to push for greater change and equality in women’s lives around the world. Whether that’s equality at work with pay, equality in the family with access to contraceptives, or all manner of other issues for women that still affect many around the world despite advances over the last century.

Here at CUSU, we want to recognise the work of all the amazing women we have on campus. That’s why throughout March we’ll be taking nominations for ‘Women Who Have Made a Difference to the Coventry University Community’. So whether you’ve got an awesome lecturer, a receptionist who’s always there, a librarian who helped you out with an essay, or anything else that’s made a difference to you, nominate them here!

Recognised as an official public holiday in more than 27 countries, the day is traditionally seen as a chance to celebrate and thank important women in our lives, usually by giving flowers or small gifts as tokens of appreciation. Let’s celebrate women around the world and #BeBoldForChange!

 

Want to find out more? Head to: https://www.internationalwomensday.com/