International Women's Day, March 8th 2018 - what you need to know!

When is International Women’s Day?International Women’s Day is March 8th of every year!What is International Women’s Day?International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.Why is International Women’s Day important?While many strides have been made worldwide in the advancement of women, there's more to do. There is still a significant wage gap, a lack of access to basic healthcare for women, policies that do not count the overwhelming majority of women in the informal economy, lack of protection for women from violence in the work place, etc. International Women’s Day is a reminder that significant work still needs to be done to dismantle the historic unequal rights of women.What does International Women’s Day mean for Afghan women and Sahar’s girls?IWD is an opportunity for us all to celebrate the challenges that Afghan women and Sahar’s girls have overcome to get to where we are today. It’s understanding that many courageous steps have been made by women on a day-to-day basis that have created change. International Women’s Day is also a reminder that we need to keep providing Afghan women and Sahar’s girls with empowerment opportunities and to be the change agents they want to see.Can men celebrate International Women’s Day?Of course! Men are welcome to and in fact encouraged to celebrate IWD. A world where not everybody is valued equally is a world where everybody loses. Bridging the gap of equality between men and women is work that must include men too.Here at Sahar, we urge you to participate in a variety of ways on International Women's Day:1. Reach out in your community and celebrate some of the incredible women that make up the fabric of your life. Whether it’s your aunt, neighbor, or co-worker, celebrate their achievements and acknowledge the challenges they’ve faced to get where they are today. This can be an in-person conversation, a note, or an email! The important part is to strengthen the bonds in your own community.2. Research events and organizations in your area by going to https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Events! Bring a buddy and make it a way to engage in your community.3. Think big picture. Here at Sahar we help more Afghan girls get in school and stay in school. If this mission resonates with you, learn more about our programs here. We rely on donations from people like YOU to continue doing important work, please click here if you’re interested in supporting. If a donation isn’t the right fit for you at this time, please join our mailing list to hear about other ways you can stay engaged: click here.