Today is International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is marked annually on 8 March and is one of the most important days of the year to:

·         Celebrate women’s achievements.

·         Raise awareness about women’s equality.

·         Lobby for accelerated gender parity.

·         Fundraise for female-focused charities.

While since 1911, International Women’s Day has been a global day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, unfortunately we still have a high mountain to climb before we can rejoice in women’s equality.

Sadly, and quite shockingly, the World Economic Forum predicts that none of us will see gender parity in our lifetimes, and neither will many of our children. That means gender parity will not be attained for almost a century!

That does not mean that we should give up the good fight – even if we do it for our children’s children.

It starts with you

The theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is “Choose to Challenge”.
 

What can you do?

I would like to challenge all MISA members today, regardless of their gender or gender preference, to do two things:

·         Call out gender bias and inequality.

·         Recognise the achievements of women in the retail motor industry.

If you are seeing or experiencing gender inequality of bias in your workplace or community, do not look away. Speak up and start making a difference to address this age-old problem.

Actively seek out and celebrate the many women’s achievements that often go by unnoticed.

So often, we do not recognise the special efforts of those around us, and this seems to be especially true of our female colleagues. Start making a difference by giving recognition where it is due.

Have you heard of the annual MISA Woman of the Year award?

Each year, the MISA Women’s Forum seeks to find those women in the retail motor industry who make a difference in the lives of others – and you are in control of the nominations. Read more here.
 

Beyond work, look around you and start recognising what women are doing in all spheres of life. It can be a friend, family member or a neighbour. Give them some encouragement and recognition and start changing the world, one kind word or act at a time. 

For only by working together, we can all help create an inclusive world.

As Gloria Steinem, world-renowned feminist, journalist and women’s rights activist so rightly said,“The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist, nor to any one organisation, but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.” 

At MISA, we fiercely guard and protect the rights of all our members and will never let up campaigning for an inclusive workplace and society.

Days such as International Women’s Day serve to heighten the awareness of the importance of creating an equal and just environment where not only women, but each and every individual, can flourish. 

We salute you all!

Martlé Keyter
MISA CEO: Operations

CONTACT MISA DIRECT

​☎️ MISA HEAD OFFICE (011) 476 3920

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