07/03/2024
IWD
What does International Womenβs Day mean to me? The theme this year βcount her inβ
What if my dad had βcounted my mum inβ and looked at her like an asset in his family and supported her to undertake English lessons when they moved here to Australia. What if he had realised that one day that decision disadvantage her and impact career?
What if my employer in 2019 the events industry who βpreferred to hire womenβ had also offered paid maternity leave in my contract (above the standard like my other friends my age that worked in finance)?
I have two beautiful girls and Iβm a single mum doing the best I can to navigate in life. I appreciate the men and women in my life that value my input, treat me as an equal, respect women, value and support the stay at home mums in their lives and βcount inβ their female leaders in their organisations to feel supported and empowered to reach new heights.
Real change takes all of us putting our ego aside male or female to support and count in a female in your life as we are still severely disadvantaged with gender pay and equal opportunities. It may be by creating a mentor program, investing your time in her growth or support more female owned businesses.
I challenge you to do it today, do it in the next Board meeting, when you are engaging with a new contractor, how will you make a change in your life, work, family today?
Count her in. Count her business in. Count her in every time. Count her in your future planning. Count her fertility in your future plans - she is an asset not a liability. When she wins her family wins. She is loyal. She is hard working. She is resilient. She is the MVP. Count her in the family business. Count her in every time and everywhere.
Xx
VC