Despite considerable progress made towards gender parity, women continue to be underrepresented in leadership roles, earn less than their male counterparts, and experience discrimination based on their gender identity.
Unconscious biases in the workplace are often at the root of these issues, such as women being overlooked for promotions or not given the same opportunities as men because the assumption is made women won't be as available, committed or be able to cope due to parental and household responsibilities.
Another area where women face challenges is in the workplace. The gender pay gap remains a prevalent issue worldwide, with women earning less than men for doing the same job.
The gender pay gap in Australia is currently around 14%, meaning that on average, women earn less than men in the same job. These economic gender gaps also affect women's ability to start businesses or access credit.
But it's not just about economic factors; unconscious bias language also plays a role in perpetuating gender stereotypes and limiting women's potential.
Harvard research highlighted men in leadership roles, when providing female staff feedback from performance reviews, were more 'gentler' and focused on having positive conversations.
Thereby reducing the hands-on learning moments to discuss, advise and mentor on areas of improvement, which then impact the career advancement opportunities significantly.
Furthermore, women are disproportionately affected by poverty, violence, and less access to technology and digital skills.
Indigenous women and women from culturally diverse backgrounds also face additional challenges that need to be addressed.
Additionally, all these discriminations perpetuate stereotypes and reinforces social norms that limit women's choices and potential opportunities for ongoing education and employment security, when they pause their careers to have children and then re-enter back into the workforce.
So, International Women's Day is still incredibly significant today, over a century after it was first celebrated.
Not only does the day serve as a reminder of the achievements of women and the progress that has been made towards gender equality, it's also an opportunity to focus on these issues, raise awareness, and demand change towards creating workplaces that are fairer and more inclusive for all genders.
It highlights the ongoing fight for women's rights and the work that still needs to be done to achieve true gender parity.
And it can start by simply opening our minds to actively listening to women sharing their experiences, their needs and challenges, not just at International Women's Day events but any day, anywhere it needs to be.
We only know what we know until someone highlights what we don't know, and learning from our mistakes is how we grow.
So, taking responsibility to consciously challenge our own biases, such as shifting 'gentler office conversations' with women to more productive communications, is crucial to breaking down our pre-existing concepts of what gender equality is - including it's significance to have a dedicated day still 110 years on.
Author: Lee Ussher is the co-founder of Buzz Web Media, as well as Google’s AU Grow with Google Trainer & a Mentor for the Federal Govt's Boosting Female Founders Initiative.
