International Women’s Day is on March 8th, and this year’s theme is #BreaktheBias—calling on all of us to build a gender equal world.
At WONDER, this goes hand in hand with our vision of a better future. Our work strives towards a future where women and girls are empowered to make informed life choices and lead the way in their own personal development. This includes being recognised as leaders in society, and respected within their families.
We believe access to quality education is key to empowering women and building a gender equal world. Educated women have more opportunities and resources to develop their personal agency. They can make the best decisions for their own well-being, including how and when to work, marry, and have children.
Education also increases a woman’s ability to find safe, well-paid work. Not only does this lessen the risk of abuse or exploitation by employers, it also gives her more power in her day to day life, as she will not be reliant on her family or spouse for money.
As a result, educated women are more likely to become leaders within their communities—be it in the workplace, as informal mentors to young girls, or even in politics.
We asked some of the women at WONDER, how can we empower women and break the bias? Here are their responses:
“Support them in their learning and personal growth.” — Jacqueline Wambua, WONDER staff, Kenya
“Women’s narratives are vastly underrepresented in the media and popular culture. It is important that we listen and share their stories.” — Greta Sanna, WONDER volunteer, Italy
“Through programmes, conversations, and stories that educate women.” — Cecily Petzall, WONDER partner, Venezuela
“Recognising the rights of women, ending gender-based violence and closing the gender pay-gap are just some of the societal issues that I believe can be eliminated when women have not one, but multiple seats at the table and have opportunities to lead.” — Ekene Ngwuocha, WONDER trustee, UK
Your support is what enables us at WONDER to build a gender equal world. On International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate how far we’ve come and continue working towards even greater change.
This year, in light of the current crisis in Ukraine, we are fundraising to support women and their children arriving in Poland from Ukraine.
Long-term support is essential to ensure women and families are not only safe from conflict and immediate danger, but also able to rebuild their lives in Poland.
