This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Accelerate Action,” serves as both a rallying cry and a sobering reminder. The World Economic Forum reports that, at our current pace, we won’t achieve full gender equality until 2158 – more than five generations from now. This timeline is simply unacceptable. The moment for meaningful change isn’t some distant future; it’s right now.
Last month, IAEE celebrated International Women’s Day by featuring industry leaders who shared practical wisdom on advancing gender equity at IAEE’s monthly Women’s Insights Hour. Moderated by IAEE President and CEO Marsha Flanagan, M.Ed., CEM, panelists included:
- Marie Brown | Group Vice President | RX Global
- Julie Kagy, CEM | Executive Director | Exhibition Services and Contractors Association (ESCA)
- Joyce Leveston, CMM, CVP | Chief Executive Officer | The Javits Center
- Elaine Williams, CMP, CEM-AP | Chief Commercial Officer | New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
Their collective message was clear: we must move beyond awareness and into action. Let’s examine the insights that emerged from this inspiring session.
Why Acceleration Matters
International Women’s Day celebrates women’s achievements globally while acknowledging the persistent barriers many face, particularly women of color. The day promotes gender equality, empowers women to amplify their voices, fosters solidarity across communities and serves as a catalyst for meaningful change.
The reality is that despite over a century of recognizing International Women’s Day, many of the original challenges persist. Women continue to face different standards of leadership evaluation than their male counterparts; working mothers encounter persistent biases; and women of color face compounded obstacles.
Practical Lessons for Accelerating Action
The panel’s insights offer actionable steps we all can implement in our professional and personal lives:
For Individual Growth
- Communicate your worth clearly: Don’t shrink yourself or your accomplishments. Articulate what you want and need with confidence.
- Confront barriers directly: When facing gender-based obstacles, step deliberately into that space and shift the energy rather than retreating.
- Advocate for fair compensation: Challenge offers that undervalue your contributions. Even if you don’t immediately succeed, you will know you fought for your worth.
- Transform uncomfortable moments: Turn instances of stereotyping into teachable opportunities. Many people don’t realize their biases until they’re addressed directly.
- Seek mutual mentorship: Share experiences both formally and informally. Create scheduled opportunities to learn from others while offering your own insights in return.
For Organizational Change
- Examine hiring practices: Review your recruitment process for hidden biases and adjust accordingly.
- Audit for pay equity: Regularly assess whether people performing similar work receive equal compensation.
- Create intentional diversity programs: Develop initiatives specifically designed to address inequities in your organization.
- Question absence: When women aren’t present in important discussions, ask “Why not?”
- Amplify marginalized voices: Use your influence to ensure women from all backgrounds are genuinely heard, not just superficially included.
Making “Accelerate Action” More Than a Slogan
True acceleration requires consistent effort across multiple fronts:
- Start at home: Have open conversations about gender equity with family members. Teach daughters their worth and sons the importance of allyship.
- Create transparent workplaces: Push for openness about compensation and advancement opportunities.
- Challenge outdated norms: Identify and confront biases in real-time, noting specific issues rather than accepting the status quo.
- Diversify leadership: Ensure women and underrepresented groups have pathways to decision-making positions.
- Practice active allyship: Support isn’t passive – it requires speaking up when discrimination occurs and making space for others to be heard.
Remember that leadership isn’t about claiming the spotlight alone. True leadership involves “bringing others to the table, pulling up more chairs, making room and leaving the door open to also allow others to grow and shine.”
The Path Forward
The journey toward gender equity demands persistence. We must collectively reject the notion that incremental progress is sufficient when generations of women still face systemic barriers.
A powerful reminder is to “Go where you are appreciated and not where you’re tolerated.” This applies not just to individual career choices but to our broader commitment to creating equitable spaces.
By implementing these lessons and strategies – addressing unconscious bias, promoting women in leadership, closing wage gaps, creating inclusive cultures, practicing allyship and empowering through education – we can create workplaces and communities where women feel genuinely valued and empowered.
The time for acceleration is now. What action will you take today to help close that 133-year gap?
