#BalanceforBetter IWD 2019

#BalanceforBetter is the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, which is observed each year on March 8. The 2019 initiative is aimed at gender equality, a greater awareness of discrimination and a celebration of women’s achievements. That includes reducing the global pay gap between men and women and making sure all are equal – and balanced – in activist movements, boardrooms and beyond.
International Women’s Day celebrates “the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women,” according to its website. It is not hosted by any country or specific movement, so organizers encourage women everywhere to host events that are “all about unity, celebration, reflection, advocacy and action – whatever that looks like globally at a local level.”

Women have become much more optimistic over the years. As of the fourth-quarter of 2018, men had a higher consumer confidence score at 110 globally relative to that of women at 103. However, women’s confidence level has increased faster than men’s over the last five years. This may be the result of increased access to education, jobs and health care, as well as key milestones in closing the gender gap that have been achieved by many countries around the world.

Women continue to be concerned about career-related issues. Work-life balance and job security are some of the top five concerns for both women and men. With more women being in the workforce, employers can do more to create work environments that help both men and women strike a better balance between their personal and professional lives.

Diving deeper into consumer concerns at the regional level found that women’s top concerns are less about survival (e.g., food prices, domestic affairs or utility bills), but more societal and economic. Health is in the top three concerns for the most developed regions, symptomatic of women expecting to live longer and enjoying more affluent lifestyles.

This year, the Day is being celebrated at the United Nations Headquarters in New York with numerous activities attended by women from the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and design, senior officials of the Organization and various personalities committed to the advancement of women’s rights. It is organized by UN Women, the UN agency dedicated to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.