Engaging ideas to celebrate Women’s Day on your company intranet

Raising Awareness and Sharing Knowledge:

• Theme spotlight: Align your celebration with the official theme for International Women’s Day 2024, Innovation and technology for gender equality.” Share articles, infographics, or videos exploring the theme’s significance in various aspects of the workplace.
• “Women in…” series: Feature profiles of inspiring women in your company across different departments and roles. Highlight their achievements, career journeys, and insights on overcoming challenges through intranet blogging tool or case study section
• Live Q&A session: Host a live Q&A session with a successful woman leader in your industry or a female entrepreneur. This can be virtual or in-person, allowing colleagues to engage and learn from her experiences.
• Resource hub: Create a dedicated page with relevant resources like articles, books, podcasts, and documentaries related to gender equality, women’s empowerment, and career development.
• Book club or movie discussion: Organize a virtual book club or movie discussion focused on stories highlighting women’s achievements or tackling relevant social issues through intranet community features.

Promoting Participation and Recognition:

• “IWD Pledge”: Encourage employees to take a virtual “IWD Pledge” to commit to specific actions promoting gender equality and inclusivity in the workplace. This could be displayed on the intranet and shared on social media with the official hashtag #IWD2024.
• “Women who inspire me” campaign: Employees can nominate colleagues who inspire them through their achievements, leadership, or support, creating a virtual gallery of recognition on the intranet.
• Social media challenge: Launch a company-wide social media challenge, encouraging employees to share photos or stories celebrating women who inspire them, using a dedicated hashtag.
• Virtual talent showcase: Provide a platform for employees to showcase their talents or hobbies through videos, music, poetry, or artwork, celebrating their creativity and diversity.

Additional Tips:

• Integrate visuals: Make your intranet content engaging by incorporating visuals like photos, illustrations, and short videos.
• Promote employee participation: Encourage employees to actively contribute to the celebration by sharing ideas, participating in activities, and providing feedback.
• Connect to company values: Show how celebrating International Women’s Day aligns with your organization’s values and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Be mindful of inclusivity: Ensure your celebration is inclusive and respectful of all individuals, regardless of gender identity or expression.

All you need to know about Women’s day celebration

International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on March 8th, is a global day dedicated to honoring the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women around the world. It is also a day to raise awareness about gender equality and women’s rights issues that still persist.

The origins of International Women’s Day date back to the early 20th century when the fight for women’s rights, including the right to vote, better working conditions, and gender equality, gained momentum. The day has its roots in various movements for women’s suffrage and labor rights. In 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter work hours, better pay, and voting rights. The first National Woman’s Day was observed in the United States on February 28, 1909.

The idea to establish an international day to honor women was proposed at the International Conference of Working Women held in Copenhagen in 1910. Clara Zetkin, a German socialist, suggested the idea as a way to promote equal rights, including suffrage, for women. The first International Women’s Day was celebrated on March 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, where more than one million women and men attended rallies campaigning for women’s rights to work, vote, and hold public office.

Over the years, International Women’s Day has evolved into a global celebration that not only recognizes the achievements of women in various fields but also serves as a call to action to address gender inequality and discrimination that still exist in many parts of the world. It’s a day to advocate for women’s rights, gender parity, and to celebrate the progress made towards gender equality, while also acknowledging the work that still needs to be done to achieve full equality for all women, regardless of their background or circumstances.