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Any day of the year is the perfect opportunity to celebrate and support the women in your life. However, March 8th marks International Women’s Day. It is a focal point for the women’s rights movement, highlighting gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. This year’s campaign theme is #EmbraceEquity. A focus on gender equity should be a part of every society’s DNA. The International Women’s Day theme drives worldwide understanding of why equal opportunities are insufficient. Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. The impetus for establishing an International Women’s Day can be traced back to New York City in February 1908, when thousands of women who were garment workers went on strike and marched through the city to protest against their working conditions. In honor of the anniversary of those strikes, which were ongoing for over a year, National Women’s Day was celebrated for the first time in the U.S. on February 28th, 1909, spearheaded by the Socialist Party of America. 

So, how can you celebrate? Here are a few ways you, your coworkers, and your community can celebrate International Women’s Day. 

• Show your support on social media. 

One simple yet impactful way to celebrate International Women’s Day is to post on your social media. Take part in social media campaigns for the day and post using specific hashtags. 

• Involve Men and other people who identify beyond the gender binary in the conversation. 

People of all gender identities must be involved in conversations and become equal advocates for gender parity.  

• Support women-owned businesses 

Supporting businesses owned, operated, and controlled by a woman or women helps contribute to equal economic empowerment, representative products and services, and a more prosperous economy overall. 

• Acknowledge the women in your life. 

Sometimes simple words of encouragement can go a long way in lifting someone and inspiring them to keep going. 

Whether it is your mother, sister, wife, girlfriend, coworker, boss, or friend, take the time on March 8th or anytime during March to celebrate and acknowledge the women in your life.