‘INSPIRE INCLUSION’ THIS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Every year on March 8th, the world celebrates International Women's Day (IWD), a day dedicated to recognising the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. This year's theme, "Inspire Inclusion," carries a powerful message that extends far beyond a single day of celebration.

It is a call to action, urging women to create a world where all women, regardless of their background, identity, or circumstance, feel valued, empowered, and actively included in every aspect of society.

In the context of International Women's Day 2024, "inclusion" refers to the active process of creating a society where all women, regardless of their background, identity, or experiences, feel valued, respected, and empowered to participate fully in all aspects of life. This includes: Equal access to opportunities and resources, representation and participation in decision-making, celebrating diversity and inclusion and women's empowerment.

In Sri Lanka, similarly to many other parts of the world, once Women’s Day is spent the theme is promptly forgotten. We women should change this and actually make every day Women’s Day by walking the talk!

Several women from all walks of life reflect on International Women’s Day in the hope that they may inspire others to uplift our fellow women. “I believe that one of the most powerful impediments to inclusion of women in leadership and public life, is their own acceptance of deeply ingrained gender prejudices and stereotypes. This begins from a very young age as the voices, ambitions and perspectives of girls are often overlooked over those of their male peers. They begin to loose confidence in their innate abilities and perspectives, which are naturally different from the boys of their age.

If we are to create a more peaceful, sustainable and nurturing world, we must create a more inclusive environment in our homes, workplaces and public life where women’s voices are encouraged and heard without prejudice or bias, where they can participate more freely in leadership, for it is already established that this leads to more balanced decisionmaking, better bottom lines and empathetic environments. I encourage the women in my sphere of influence to believe in themselves and the difference they bring to the table. I encourage them to value this difference, to own their truth and speak it , inspite of the bias they may initially encounter .”

“To encourage inclusion more widely, I will support and encourage a fair and unbiased environment for women to speak up and be truly heard.”

“Whilst it’s true that today many women are leaders in their fields, there is a serious lack of equitable representation in politics; over 51% of the population is represented by a mere 5.3% of women in Parliament, a marker that has not changed since 1930s! To effect true change, the voices of women must be heard and significant action must be taken to remedy this gross injustice. Courtesy representation making a mockery of the legal necessities does not make a democracy!” SHYAMALEE TUDAWE

“It is important to me to create a culture at ARTRA to go beyond gender politics, as I believe in the potential of every human, and the critical role they can play in contributing to the upliftment of society. Having said that, since inception to date, we have assigned responsilities for those who are part of our company in ways that facilitate their multiple roles in their personal and professional realms. Going forward, we hope to strengthen it further by implementing strategies that reward our team for their inventive approaches that contribute to both their personal development and professional productivity through a criterion that assesses their simultaneous growth, considering their pursuits outside their worklife as well. We are happy to augment our professional practices so as to encourage inclusion and diversity in a world where women are increasingly playing a potent role in the development of our civilization - and we hope to contribute to this fearless feat”. AZARA JALEEL, DIRECTOR & EDITOR-INCHIEF OF ARTRA MAGAZINE

“In the last 45 years I have been working with women from all walks of life, from underprivileged women with no education nor training to young women with college degrees from London. Through my sewing center I have helped them learn and establish their own garment business while providing employment to marginalised women. My predominant focus has been to make women financially independent as I believe this gives them choices in life. My wish is to see a world where all women, regardless of their background, identity and their circumstance, feel valued, empowered and actively included in every aspect of society. Equal access to opportunities, resources, representation and decisionmaking in every stage of life, home, society and government is important.” SARATHA THEVY VIGNARAJAH

“In the realm of healthcare, let us envision a future where women’s well-being is at the forefront. A future where research on reproductive health flourishes, where women’s autonomy over their bodies is protected, and where equal access to quality healthcare is a fundamental rightis important. Together, let’s cultivate a world where every woman is empowered to prioritise her health, ensuring that her voice is heard, her choices respected, and her care comprehensive.” DR YASUNI MANIKKAGE

“Even though, we always talk about inclusion of women by men, a point that many women are fully aware of but ashamed to talk about is that most women exclude women in workplaces, in society etc. This is the hard truth. We even repeat certain cliché statements that males make about females instead of being mindful that when we repeat these we are putting down all women. Instead, we should be able to empathise more and give them the advice to overcome since we have been there too.” DR JANAKI KURUPPU

“On this International Women’s Day as an entrepreneur I encourage all women to take a step FORWARD in their thinking, skills, and leadership qualities, to become successful in their own path! When we remember who we are we can be the game changer!” DILU DE MEL PUNCHIHEWA

“To honour ‘Inspire Inclusion’ for International Women’s Day, I am dedicated to broadening my knowledge of inclusion and sharing the learnings with our community and workforce. We are committed to equal opportunities and fostering a diverse and welcoming team, where every woman feels valued.” DARSHI KEERTHISENA

“Inclusivity is an important aspect that we need to embrace. In Sri Lanka in many spheres, we see women left in the cold when it comes to inclusivity especially at boardroom level. This needs to change and it is incumbent on us women to initiate and facilitate this change.” DR DILINI BARANAGE