{"id":43264,"date":"2023-03-09T02:38:20","date_gmt":"2023-03-09T07:38:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging21.finca.org\/uncategorized-en-ca\/international-womens-day-a-call-to-action-to-accelerate-equality-worldwide"},"modified":"2023-05-15T22:00:02","modified_gmt":"2023-05-16T02:00:02","slug":"international-womens-day-a-call-to-action-to-accelerate-equality-worldwide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finca.org\/en-ca\/international-womens-day-a-call-to-action-to-accelerate-equality-worldwide","title":{"rendered":"International Women\u2019s Day: A Call to Action to Accelerate Equality Worldwide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

International Women\u2019s Day (IWD) is celebrated globally on March 8th every year. The day is dedicated to celebrating women and all they have achieved, but it is also a call to action to accelerate equality worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a0origins of this day<\/a>\u00a0can be traced back to 1908 when a group of 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding more rights, including better pay, shorter hours, and voting rights. This led the US to adopt National Women\u2019s Day in 1909. By 1911, International Women\u2019s Day was officially agreed upon for the first time at a conference in Copenhagen. More than 1 million women and men attended rallies across Europe supporting women\u2019s rights. However, it was not until 1975 that the United Nations officially acknowledged International Women\u2019s Day. Since then, the day has grown and adapted to the times, transforming into what we know today. IWD is now celebrated worldwide with countless online events and viral campaigns honouring women and reminding us of the work we still need to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How FINCA Promotes Women\u2019s Equality through Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Though IWD is an important day to recognize achievements and continue inspiring change, we at FINCA promote\u00a0women\u2019s empowerment\u00a0and equality daily through our work. FINCA\u2019s founders recognized the importance of empowering women within our mission to end poverty and wove that into FINCA\u2019s DNA. FINCA co-founder John Hatch stated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It has been proven time after time that increasing the incomes of poor mothers results in an almost immediate improvement in their children\u2019s diet, and an increased likelihood that they can send their children to school. And when a child is educated, he or she has better opportunities to live outside of poverty.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Understanding that poverty disproportionately affects women, women\u2019s empowerment has always been and always will be one of FINCA\u2019s core commitments. We are dedicated to providing women with equal access to financial services and other life-changing products and resources. We also design products specifically for women and conduct rigorous research to ensure they are effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"FINCA