Women have accomplished a lot in their community and in the professional world over the years.This growth and positive change should be celebrated, as it will encourage us to continue to strive for equality.
Women have always faced many obstacles related to gender equality, when they really should be regarded as equal members in society. As we celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, we see the great things women have accomplished in their community and in the professional world over the years. This growth and positive change should be celebrated, as it will encourage us to continue to strive for equality.
Many monumental feats have been achieved in the most recent years, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to make Canada’s first-ever gender-balanced cabinet. Perhaps the most important thing to appreciate is that the 15 women chosen were equally experienced, knowledgeable and capable of fulfilling this duty as the men in the same position. Their identity was their ability, and by emphasizing that as the focus of Trudeau’s decision, we see yet another example of how women continue to break barriers in society.
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A lot can be done to eliminate gender bias in the world of business, such as by shifting the focus to productivity and results, and by “building a culture where the team does not shy away from talking about uncomfortable or difficult topics.” - Anita Huberman, CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade
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Another area of growth has been women involvement in business. Anita Huberman, the CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade, is a prime example of reaching such benchmarks, and using hard work to attain success in business leadership. Huberman believes that a lot can be done to eliminate gender bias in the world of business, such as by shifting the focus to productivity and results, and by “building a culture where the team does not shy away from talking about uncomfortable or difficult topics”. She firmly believes that “you have to work hard but work smart to differentiate yourself,” and by keeping that in mind, women can continue to progress in roles of leadership in the future.
A highlight we are very proud to acknowledge is the contributions South Asian women have made in their community. Whether we see it through sports, politics or social initiatives, these women have been representing the South Asian community in an exemplary way. Aditi Chauhan, goalkeeper and vice captain of the Indian National Women’s Football team, believes that these achievements serve as encouragement for women to continue “becoming stronger, more confident, goal-oriented, and willing to overcome the hard challenges of life”.
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Women must encourage each other to be bold and raise their voice against harassment. I am positive of the fact that if the women start imbibing this kind of supportive and bold behaviour in their lives, there will soon be a change in the society’s perception of the victims, and eventually more and more women will be motivated to raise their voice and fight for their rights.” - Aditi Chauhan, goalkeeper & vice captain of the Indian National Women’s Football team
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One of the most recent and now widespread movements, which has been initiated by women for women, is the #MeToo Movement. Starting as a hashtag following sexual misconduct accusations against a well-known film producer, this movement has now become the voice for women who have been victims of sexual harassment.
By sharing their personal stories, women hope to spread awareness that sexual misconduct does, in fact, occur in social settings and in the workplace. Light has been shone on the abuse of power and fame by many celebrities, and the phrase ‘MeToo’ is now being tweeted millions of times with more experiences that explain the extent of this problem.
Some people may feel that movements such as #MeToo start losing their meaning, as they get lost amidst all the publicity and celebrity attention they receive. There have been cases where #MeToo has been used to report instances which are simply being used to defame famous personalities for personal motives. In such cases, it is important for us as a society to understand that we must always keep the initial goal in mind when participating in a movement. #MeToo has a core purpose, and that is to stand up for your rights, and speak out when they are being violated or disrespected. This movement gives us the immense power of using our words to express our thoughts and feelings, which will be heard by the world, and will be the key to positive change occurring. Therefore, it is up to us to use the tools we create for a genuine cause, and not misuse them in a way in which our integrity is challenged once again.
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The first step to change is accepting that there is a problem that needs fixing. Women need to demand equality, and “we may initially have to fight for it, but we will receive it. It is just a change in the mindset that is required, for both men and women.” - Sonia Virk, lawyer and co-founder of Virk Viyas & Associate Lawyers
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Sonia Virk, a lawyer, co-founder of Virk Viyas & Associate Lawyers in Surrey and an active community member, believes that the first step to change is accepting that there is a problem that needs fixing. Women need to demand equality, and “we may initially have to fight for it, but we will receive it. It is just a change in the mindset that is required, for both men and women.” We need to make gender bias a phenomenon of the past, and work towards a future where it becomes irrelevant.
What is a huge positive aspect of the #MeToo movement is that this is the first time where topics like sexual harassment are being discussed so openly and seriously. This is something Maninder Dhaliwal, an award-winning entrepreneur and co-founder of Lions Gate International, really values.
She agrees that “changing status-quo is always a so-called ‘sensitive’ topic, but that does not mean that you back away from it.” Perpetrators need to be mentioned so that they receive consequences, and seeing the immediate actions being taken in response to allegations through the #MeToo movement creates a promising outlook for the way we choose to deal with these issues.
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“I am very proud of fellow women and what we have achieved. And we achieved it all despite the odds stacked against us. The world is progressing in the right direction. The progress is slow and the path is winding, but overall things are moving in the right direction. So, I am very hopeful about the future of equal opportunity and wage parity.” - Maninder Dhaliwal, award-winning entrepreneur and co-founder of Lions Gate International
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Often, women feel there is a strong societal pressure to conform, but knowing what is unacceptable to you is an important step to seeing change in the form of a positive feedback loop.
Perhaps this year’s International Women’s Day is the most important day of all, as it is a reminder of all the great milestones women have achieved, as well as all the work we must continue to do in order to reach the goal of full gender equality in our society.
