Because everyone has a role to play
The month-long celebration of International Women’s Month is officially over. However, this doesn’t mean that the fight for equality and women's empowerment is over.
Throughout March 2024, various organizations and companies hosted events and published studies to shed light on important issues regarding women’s rights and the challenging situations girls and women still face in today’s society.
Here are three things we learned from all the forums and events we covered during the celebration.
Funding is needed
Based on the latest data released by the United Nations (UN) Women's official website, with the current crises the world is facing today, including climate change, geopolitical conflicts, and soaring poverty levels, 'more than 340 million women and girls could be living in extreme poverty by 2030.'
To prevent this and 'achieve gender equality,' around $360 billion is needed annually. 'To ensure women’s needs and priorities are considered, governments must prioritize gender-responsive financing and increase public spending on essential services and social protection,' the report says.
The same study shows that women spend three times more on unpaid work than men. Thus, this study encourages policymakers and decision-makers to recognize women's value and contribution to worldwide economic stability.
Promote financial literacy and inclusion
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, more and more private organizations and companies are playing their roles by opening up opportunities for women, creating safer environments, and promoting inclusivity. In multinational companies with local offices like Procter and Gamble (P&G), Telus, and even in local ones like the fintech company Tala, women are given seats.
These companies offer various benefits and perks that can help women achieve work-life balance, such as a remote-first work setup that allows employees to work from anywhere in the country, a flexible work schedule, and paid scheduled holiday leaves, in addition to personal time off (PTO). Tala also provides a dedicated lounge for new mothers who need to rest and breastfeed during on-site office hours.
To promote awareness about digital literacy, the same company invests in women’s financial education through TALAkayan sessions with financial literacy advocate and money expert Salve Duplito. This workshop specifically caters to women and mothers, providing them with the necessary tools to manage their finances effectively.
“Fintech is traditionally a male-dominated industry, but Tala as a company is proof that women can also very much be leaders and decision-makers in this field. In turn, this encourages more women to thrive in the organization and in their respective careers as well,” said Iona Iñigo-Mayo, director of Global Customer Experience Operations of Tala.
Find and carve your path
The goal might still seem hard to reach, but with everyone chipping in their efforts, progress is being made. However, to be empowered and become the woman she aspires to be, one needs to work hard and carve her path.
This is an important lesson that award-winning Filipina director Antoinette Jadaone shared during the recently held #StrongLikeCoffee event, where Starbucks Philippines brought together a panel of trailblazing women to inspire learners from Young Focus Foundation and AHA! Learning Center.
According to Jadaone, just like the box-office hit stories of every superhero, where they have to go through hardships and improve their talents and skills before becoming the strong, mighty heroes that they are, everyone else must do the same. She emphasized that women should view these hardships as steps closer to their dreams and aspirations.
“Before ako naging director ang dami kong ginawa. Pero alam ko lahat ng iyon kailangan kong gawin kasi kapag dumating yung time na may magbigay sakin ng break, dapat ready ako (before I became a director, I did so many things and job. But I knew that I had to went all through that because when the time comes that I’ll be given a break, I am ready),” she said.
