International Women's Day 2023

International Women's Day is celebrated annually on March 8 and the purpose of this day is to recognize and honour the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. This day also brings attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence/abuse against women.

The first International Women's Day celebration can be traced back to the early twentieth century as a result of the labour movements in North America and Europe. But it wasn't until 1975 that The United Nations recognized International Women's Day globally and began celebrating annually on March 8.

International Women's Day 2023 Themes:

Each year, International Women's Day themes are chosen depending on the social, political and economical climate at the time. This years main themes are #DigitALL, #EmbraceEquity, and #EveryWomanCounts.  

#DigitALL - This theme aims to identify and celebrate the contributions women and girls are making to technology and online education (UN Women).

• This year, academics and researchers will explore the impact of the digital gender gap on inequality for women and girls, as the UN estimates that women's lack of access to the online world will cause a $1.5 trillion loss to gross domestic product of low and middle-income countries by 2025 if action isn't taken.

#EmbraceEquity - This theme aims to challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out inclusion (IWD).

• Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. Whereas, equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities. 

#EveryWomanCounts - This theme is a reminder that all women, from all ages and walks of life, have a place in every aspect of Canadian society, including in the economic, social, and democratic spheres (Government of Canada). 

• The Government of Canada is hosting a free online course that celebrates the achievements of Canadian Women throughout history. While this free course targets grade 6-12 students, anyone can create an account and learn! Register here. 

Global Threats Against Women

Over the last year we have seen restrictions on Women's bodily autonomy, backlash against independence, and horrific sexual assault stories coming out of the media. Women in countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Ukraine and even the United States are fighting for their rights amid war, violence and policy changes.

The Overturn of Roe vs Wade - On Fri. June 24, 2022 the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade, ending the right to a legal abortion. This devastating decision directly threatens American Women's reproductive rights, freedom, and has the power to influence other countries to implement similar policy changes. All Supreme Court Justices were males up until 1981 and since the birth of the United States Supreme Court there have been 115 appointed Justices with 109 of them being men, and only 6 being women. Currently there are four Women serving on the Supreme Court: Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

I will say it louder for the people in the back..no woman should be told she can't make decisions about her own body.

Gender Pay Gap in Sports - on average male professional athletes earn 80% more than Women professional athletes, and no it is not because men are "better". One of the main reasons why professional Women athletes are being underpaid is because of the lack of corporate sponsorships. Women athletes perform the same or better statistically than men athletes and work just as hard, but are not being seen as equally valuable or marketable in the eyes of major corporations. Today less than 1% of sports sponsorship is invested in Women’s sports. It's easy to shrug and say, that's just the market but the reality is that the people in power at these companies are disproportionately male and their business decisions can't help but be influenced by their own personal biases and interests. Right now, Women's sports represent a massive, untapped opportunity for corporate partners looking to get involved at what is still an early stage. Audiences grow with media coverage, increasing the value of sponsorships, which themselves increase consumer awareness, thus attracting further media coverage. If you want to see the pay-gap decrease, hold yourself accountable and turn on Women's games when they're playing. 

• In the Forbes 2020 top 50 highest paid athletes, there is one woman, Naomi Osaka (#29). 

Gender Gap in Sports - there is not just inequality in pay, but also with participation and opportunity. Annually, 1.13 million more boys are given sporting opportunities than girls and 1.5 million fewer women than men participate in sport at least once a month. The number of women working in the sports industry at the entry level is also significantly lower than men. 

• Only half of the governing bodies in sport currently meet the government target to have women making up one quarter of the people sitting around the boardroom table.
• Women make up only 18% of qualified coaches.
• Coaches of Women's teams at the collage level earn 63 cents for every dollar earned by head Coaches of men’s teams.

Sometimes it's hard to not feel like society is going backwards when it comes to Women's rights, but it's important to remember that we can something about it. That's why it is of utmost importance to us here at Frameworth that we stand with Women and use our available resources to educate and push forward the very important message of gender equality and equity. 

How you can support Women and Girls

We all have a Woman in our life, whether she's our mother, sister, cousin, friend or partner. Let's celebrate the successful Women around us, reminding today's Girls that their dreams are within reach and that they are valued. Below are a few ways you can show your allyship and help empower the Women and Girls in your life. 

• Create a safe space - creating a 'safe space' means establishing an atmosphere where Women/Girls feel physically and emotionally secure. It is a place where they are free to express themselves without fear, judgement or intimidation and are protected from bodily harm, including sexual abuse and preventable sport injuries. Creating a 'safe space' includes speaking up and holding others accountable for inappropriate advances, comments, or actions. Remember that silence is complicity.

• Utilize social media - share educational and supportive social media posts on March 8 (and the days leading up to this important date), and/or start a positive and informative conversation on social media with the hashtag #IWD2023.

• Continue to learn - it is never too late to learn about something new or different. Being a lifelong learner will help you adapt to change, feel more fulfilled, and help you maintain stronger cognitive functions as you get older. With new information and research being released all the time, it is important to keep yourself up-to-date and aware of the global on-going injustices against Women. 

• Volunteer / Attend marches and protests / Donate - volunteering with a Women's rights organization is the perfect opportunity to learn first-hand about the challenges and inequality Women face on a daily basis. Volunteering with a Women's rights organization will contribute to change and your own personal growth. In addition, the war on equal rights requires EVERYONES support. You don't want to look back at this time in your life and think "I didn't do everything I could". Women cannot fight this war alone and if you're an individual of quality, standing with Women and Girls should not intimidate you nor make you feel threatened. Lastly, donating to a Women's rights organization will help establish better legal protections for Women/Girls such as safe houses and community support programs. Most donations are even tax-deductible.

Celebrating the Women of Frameworth

Women have always played a critical role in the long-term success of Frameworth Sports and continually contribute to the growth of the business. Whether they're involved in implementing new strategies, product design, reaching new audiences/customers, or pitching new partnerships, the Women of Frameworth are intelligent, determined, and hard-working. We are extremely grateful to have such a talented group of Women and we're happy to high-light some of their personal and professional achievements below.