International Women’s Day (IWD) is a worldwide campaign calling for systemic cultural, economic, social, and collective efforts toward gender equality. The day marks a celebration of the achievements of women and girls globally, occurring for over a century, with focuses geared toward equity, reproductive rights, gender-based violence, racial discrimination, and the promotion of a more sustainable future for all. The day serves as a reminder of the steps needed to take toward a more equal future, but equally a commemoration of progress and advancement achieved by those who came before us. The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is #InspireInclnclusion.  

With research from The Social Mobility Foundation in 2023 reporting that across the UK, individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds have limited access to quality education, and with the gender pay gap in the UK demonstrating that women earn on average 15.4% less than their male counterparts, it’s clear why International Women’s Day is so vital. 

So, what can you do to celebrate IWD? Moreover, what is Blueprint for All doing? 

• Practice mindfulness: honouring women’s achievements and promoting gender equality doesn’t always have to be a big, bold proclamation. Check out the ways Mind, the mental health organisation, have curated a go to guide for celebrating International Women’s Day in mindful and collaborative way. 

• Women, especially those belonging to underrepresented groups, continue to face barriers when seeking leadership roles. At Blueprint for All 100% of our senior leadership team are women and together, if we continue to fight for inclusion, other workplaces can become more inclusive. 

• Just 8.1% of all Fortune 500 companies have women as CEOs, with 1.2% being women of colour. OOur CEOCEO  

• £250 billion of value could be added to the UK economy if women started and scaled business at the same rate as men (Rose reivew 2019). Signing up to programmes at Blueprint for All like Enterprise & Innovation will allow you to listen, network & learn from inspiring leaders and established professionals. 

• #InspireInclusion by learning more: make 8th March a day of discovery for you. Fall down the rabbit hole of a Wikipedia page of woman whose history you’ve always wanted to learn more about. Give your grandmother a call and ask her about her experiences in the world of work compared to your own. Start that new book that’s been sitting on your shelf collecting dust. Find your local community centre or charity and see about volunteering some of your time with them.  

• Share your story: be the change you wish to see and inspire others where you can. No voice is too small, and acknowledging your own history and story helps to forge a more inclusive world. Use the hashtag #IWD2024 or #InspireInclusion to take part in a global movement to make a difference. 

Blueprint for All work throughout the year to ensure we’re supporting the most systemically disadvantaged groups. If you are not personally affected by the issues minority communities face, it’s easy to not fully understand the context or depth of feelings that can arise when facing discrimination 

 We’ve complied toolkits and resources to help unpack and unlearn the inherent biases all who grow up in an unjust world have. Our programmes aim to both support communities and enrich societies by driving systemic and social change for the better.  

By helping to build careers through mentorship, opportunities, and teachings starting from primary school age all the way to higher education and early career stages, Blueprint for All proudly celebrates women and girls every day, every year.