On International Women's Day we have looked at some of the ways charities are marking the day and celebrating all the inspiring women that work for their organisations. Here is a, by no means exhaustive, list of some of the highlights.
#messagetomysister
This International Women’s Day Women for Women International is celebrating with its campaign #messagetomysister, which aims to make sure that as many women as possible receive a message of support.
It is giving the opportunity to write a message on their website which is then sent to women living under siege or in refugee camps, and the outside world. Women for Women International started with a simple-letter writing campaign to women in these situations.
A case study from Women for Women International on one of its previous campaigns #SheInspiresMe, appears in March's Fundraising Magazine which is out today. To mark International Women's Day, the article has been put in front of the paywall for a limited time. Read it here.
"I want you to know that you are not alone." This #InternationalWomensDay, our Ambassador Elizabeth Debicki is sending a #MessageToMySister to the women survivors of war we serve.
— Women for Women UK (@womenforwomenUK) March 8, 2018
What is your message of support? Share it today: https://t.co/s5J0v6G7xX #IWD2018 #WomensDay pic.twitter.com/vN5zOEAvHh
International 'When's International Men's Day?' Day
Comedian Richard Herring is spending today replying to everyone on Twitter who asks when International Men’s Day is (it is 19 November FYI) and directing people to his JustGiving page where he is raising money for the domestic abuse charity refuge.
Writing on his page, he said: “Every International Women's Day, for a few years now I have gone on Twitter to search for people asking, ‘When's International Men's Day?’ to let them know that that is on November 19th. Weirdly most of them only seem to care about this on International Women's Day and when November 19th comes along they do nothing. I think some of them think that there wouldn't be an International Men's Day. But there is one. It's on November 19th.
“I do this so that everyone else can get on with celebrating International Women's Day and using it to raise awareness of the issues that affect women. And trying to achieve equality.”
At the time of publishing, he had raised over £55,000 for the charity.
November 19th. Please pay finders fee of £19.11 here https://t.co/XV522ImcQR
— Richard K Herring (@Herring1967) March 8, 2018
If you fail to pay within 30 days then bailiffs will be sent to your home https://t.co/GeXvrPX7lH
Spirit of 2012
Funding charity Spirit of 2012 has today announced plans to stage a centenary exhibition in Manchester, birthplace of the suffrage movement, which will celebrate 100 years since some women won the right to vote in the UK.
Called ‘Spirited’, the exhibition will focus on the young social activists that were at the heart of the first-wave movement for change, looking at their role in the fight for female suffrage and the ongoing battle for gender equality over the past century.
Called ‘Spirited’, the exhibition will focus on the young social activists that were at the heart of the first-wave movement for change, looking at their role in the fight for female suffrage and the ongoing battle for gender equality over the past century.
Sightsavers
Sightsavers, which aims to prevent avoidable blindness and empowers people with disabilities, is using International Women’s Day to highlight that 55 per cent of the 36 million blind people in the world are women. In a Twitter thread it is showcasing women on the frontline protecting sight and fighting for disability rights.
Happy Women's Day! #DYK there are 36 million blind people in the world, and 55% of visually impaired people are women? This #IWD2018, follow our Twitter thread showcasing women on the frontline protecting sight and fighting for disability rights! https://t.co/azTswqed1J pic.twitter.com/uptS6y7maI
— Sightsavers (@Sightsavers) March 8, 2018
Remembering Syrie Barnardo
For both International Women's Day and Women's History Month, Barnardo's is remembering the stories of women who had vital roles in supporting vulnerable children, including Syrie Barnardo, wife of Dr Thomas Barnardo.
Although Thomas Barnardo’s vision more than 150 years ago may have been to help all destitute children, his early work focussed mainly on boys. It wasn’t until he married Sara ‘Syrie’ Louise Elmslie that Barnardo’s was able to care properly for the thousands of girls living on the streets or in abject poverty around London’s East End.
Syrie’s involvement in Barnardo’s opened the door for thousands of girls who would otherwise have been forced into begging or prostitution to earn money.
Other stories the charity is celebarting are those of Margaret McElroy, who set up her own Guide Company to provide opportunities for disabled girls, and Effie Bentham, who established a scheme to get working people to donate 'a farthing a week' direct from the wages, she died aged 97 in 1970, having raised over £7m for Barnardo's.
This #InternationalWomensDay, we’re sharing the stories of some of the women who inspire us. Mary Joynson, our director from 1973-84, was a decisive and determined pioneer. Read how she was a pivotal figure in the development of our charity: https://t.co/ayTKd308tZ pic.twitter.com/m24hD2x3wi
— Barnardo’s (@barnardos) March 8, 2018
And more
Brooklands Museum is tweeting the stories of women who worked at Brooklands racecourse during the First World War, which coincided with the end of its Women in Work exhibition.
It's #InternationalWomensDay! To mark the end of our #WomensWork100 exhibition ‘Doing Their Bit Brooklands Women in the Great War’ today we will be tweeting the stories of the women featured in the exhibition #IWD2018 pic.twitter.com/ZLlA2f9jx2
— Brooklands Museum (@BrooklandsMuseu) March 8, 2018
Girlguiding Scotland has partnered with Women 5050 to “empower the next generation of female leaders in politics and beyond”.
The partnership is also to celebrate 100 years since women got the vote, and the Year of Young People.
They’ve launched a campaign and interactive resource called Citizen Girl, which aims to empower girls to “discover why their voice matters and how they can make a change”; learn more about political processes, representation and equality with fun challenges; and think about how they can be the leaders of tomorrow in areas including politics, business, tech, and the media.
To celebrate #IWD2018 we’ve joined forces with @women5050 to launch Citizen Girl, a campaign to empower girls to take the lead in politics & beyond. Help your unit to discover the power of their voice by downloading the new resource today➡️ https://t.co/U3KCuuzYgG #CitizenGirl pic.twitter.com/3glRZCoIuQ
— Girlguiding Scotland (@GirlguidingScot) March 8, 2018
Target Ovarian Cancer is using International Women’s Day, which takes place during Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, to encourage women to look out for the symptoms of the disease and help save lives.
This #InternationalWomensDay we will #TAKEOVAR to make sure everyone knows the symptoms of #ovariancancer. https://t.co/NrzqtASiwq pic.twitter.com/3L2dh9v6AR
— TargetOvarianCancer (@TargetOvarian) March 8, 2018
More coverage on International Women's Day
