07 Mar International Women’s Day 2025

This Saturday, March 8th, is International Women’s Day (IWD), and all week I’ve been inspired by the many posts, calls to action, and experiences shared across my network. There is so much that can be said not only in anticipation of IWD, but year round, on the incredible role women had and continue to have in shaping the world around us.

I recently read The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, and it left me thinking about the quiet and courageous ways women have always fought for what matters – whether in times of war or in everyday life. The story follows two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, as they navigate impossible choices, risking everything for survival, love, and freedom. Inspired by real-life women of the French Resistance, their stories remind us of the often-overlooked contributions of women in history.

And yet, despite these stories, and the countless others we can pull from history books, IWD reminds us how far we must still go.

This year’s theme, Accelerate Action, is a call to push harder and move faster toward gender equality. Right now, progress is so slow that we won’t reach full gender parity until 2158—five generations from now. Let that sink in.

That means our daughters, granddaughters, and even great-granddaughters will still be fighting the same battles if we don’t step up.

Throughout history, women have resisted injustice in both bold and quiet ways. Some, like Isabelle in The Nightingale, take risks that make headlines. Others, like Vianne, fight in smaller but equally powerful ways – choosing survival, defying expectations, protecting what matters. The lesson in both is clear: whether through big actions or small, we all have a role to play in driving change.

If we want to accelerate action, we have to do more than just talk about equality. We need to challenge bias and inequality when we see it – in the workplace, in leadership, in everyday conversations; by supporting and uplifting other women in real ways – by mentoring, advocating and creating space for female voices; and, by pushing for systemic change that ensures equal opportunities for all through policy, representation and inclusive workplace cultures.

Every action – no matter how small – moves us closer to a future where women don’t have to keep proving their worth or fighting the same battles over and over.

It may seem strange to draw inspiration from a historical fiction, but history is full of brave and courageous actions that made change possible. Stories are often rooted in real truths, as is the case in The Nightingale, and they serve as powerful reminders of the people and actions that shaped the world we live in today. They allow us to remember, to honour, and to not forget the sacrifices and struggles that made progress possible.

If we look back to all the many brave women whose decisions to act allowed for change, we are reminded that their moments of bravery and resilience may once have seemed impossible – until they weren’t.

Progress has always been built on the determination of those who refused to accept the world as it was.

So whether you find inspiration in a book, in someone you know, in moments from the past, in a post on social media, or in a vision of the future you hope to create, let that fuel you.

Change doesn’t happen on its own. Take that inspiration and turn it into action. Because the time for change isn’t five generations from now. It’s today.