Women’s Equality Day: The Rising of World’s Better Half!

Sheryl Sandberg, the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, writes in her groundbreaking international bestseller Lean In, “the blunt truth is that men still rule the world. This means that when it comes to making the decisions that most affect our world, women’s voices are not heard equally.” On this Women’s Equality Day, the world needs to acknowledge this blunt truth and find ways to change the picture globally.

Let’s travel less than a century behind and understand the significance of Women’s Equality Day!

August 26, 2018, marks the 98th anniversary of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. What is the Nineteenth Amendment all about?

“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

It was the beginning of a revolution and it all began with the Right to Vote for women. August 26, 1920, was historic, indeed!

Not only for the women in America but for women across the globe who believe in equality.

Wars have been fought for love, land and power and all that the world thought to be relevant. Women have been constantly fighting for even basic existence since time immemorial. Their battle has multiple layers. Patriarchy, gender stereotyping, education, marriage, chastity, honour, employment, equal wages, rights, domestic responsibilities and the list goes on.

The purpose of this article is not to dwell into the challenges all over again but to celebrate what we have achieved so far and how we intend to break some tougher glass ceilings in the times to come. There can be no better way to learn about these victories than the life of the women who have risen above all, despite the odds. 

Maya Angelou

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, one of the strongest voices for female solidarity in the contemporary world brings to life her own heart-rending experiences. At eight years old, she was sexually abused by a man many times her age. How she fought through this is something we all need to know. Refusing to give up, a few years later, Maya learns that self-love, the kindness of others, her own defiant spirit, and the ideas of great writers will allow her to be free instead of being caged in her destiny.

Because Maya refused to give in, we believe in her today!

Sheryl Sandberg

This woman of substance never thought she would write a book. She is not a scholar, a journalist or sociologist. We know who she is.

After talking to hundreds of women, learning about their struggles and sharing her own, she decided to pen down what would continue to inspire both men and women.

She reemphasizes the idea of women equality, in this age and day, when she writes, “We can reignite the revolution by internalizing the revolution. The shift to a more equal world will happen person to person. We move closer to the larger goal of true equality with each woman who leans in”.

Lean in, man up is her clarion call to all the women who aspire to lead!

Mariana Gheorghe

In 2014, ranked 19th in Fortune’s list of the most powerful women in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Mariana Gheorghe, the CEO of Petrom, is considered one of the most influential women in Eastern Europe. This 59-year-old was the first female CEO of Australian oil major- Petrom. After building a strong academic background in law, economics, and corporate finance, Gheorghe worked for the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development from 1993 to 2006, when she took charge of the helm of affairs at Petrom.

In an industrial landscape as challenging as the Oil and Gas industry, Mariana has created an impact. And her contribution will always stand out in the industry, that has long been the domain of men.

Click here to read about more such powerful women in the global energy landscape.

Why are women ‘Second-Sex’ in the Oil and Gas Industry? To learn, click here.

Naina Lal Kidwai

When Naina became the first Indian woman to graduate from Harvard Business School in the year 1982, little did she know that one day she would be the Director HSBC, Asia-Pacific and Country Head, India. This journey has been possible because she fought for it by constantly asking herself, “How am I any less?”

Her successful career in the financial services industry has not been an easy ride. When she first set out, she didn’t think women would be where we are today. Yet, she believes that there is still much more to be done.

Today, Naina leads us by example!

Virginia Woolf

Does art recognize gender? Can genius be classified into Male and Female?

In one of her most celebrated works, Shakespeare’s Sister, which is a passage from the 1929 classic A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf, presents a picture that forced the authorities on art and literature to pause and reflect. She creates a hypothetical scenario, in that age and setting, wherein Shakespeare has a sister. Symbolically, it is a female sibling of comparable talent and identical family background.

It is a question, and an unsettling one, that applies as much to women in the arts and humanities as it does to women in any other world. This powerful literary piece addresses some of the most elemental forces influencing modern society and shaping our lives to this day.

“Women have sat indoors all these millions of years, so that by this time the very walls are permeated by their creative force, which has, indeed, so overcharged the capacity of bricks and mortar that it must need harness itself to pens and brushes and business and politics.” 

Woolf spoke up when the world was busy erasing the history of women. Today, her work is a constant source of strength for women who are history-in-the-making!

Learn why we should talk about ‘The Great Divide‘ in the Oil and Gas Industry

Aung San Suu Kyi

At the heart of Myanmar’s glorious transition to democracy, stands Aung San Suu Kyi, tall and strong.

Suu Kyi, returned to Myanmar from exile in 1988 to oppose the junta that had taken power in the early 1960s. Even as the military subjected her to house arrest for nearly 20 years, she co-founded the National League for Democracy and steadfastly renounced violence. The world was able to see through her personal sacrifice and global opinion around her cause poured in from all corners of the world, the more so after she won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.

She is a story in herself, full of passages of rebellion, challenges, isolation, defiance, truth, freedom, all leading to an impactful conclusion of strong leadership.

The modern world has arrived with a new face. The issues are the same, garbed in unique forms. What happened in the bedroom back then, happens now in the office. The home has crept into the world now. However, we cannot afford cynicism and hopelessness.

Mindsets are changing. Man is gradually beginning to understand Woman. Both are realizing that despite all the differences, they can go far only if they join hands.

We can find out ‘how equal are we?’ only when we seek the answers in the neutral sense of the term ‘equality’, one that is free from all biases. One behind the other is not the answer. One ahead of the other will create new challenges. Side by side, they make an impact, the kind we need more of, in the present times.

As we celebrate Women’s Equality Day in the year 2018, let’s pledge to break the same old barriers and shackles.

Let’s welcome the little girl with open arms. Let’s allow her to grow into a powerful woman. Let’s just let her be. That is the most and the least we can do for her.

What do you think?