'Balance For Better' Does Little to Address Issues Facing Women

Mar 8, 2019 | Rosie Urbanovich
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International Women’s Day had radical roots: at the turn of the 20th century, thousands of women came together to protest dismal working conditions, long hours, and poverty pay. Today, women everywhere, especially in the global South are still fighting this uphill battle, lined with exploitation and inequality.

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘Balance for Better.’ Balance is not a women’s issue, it’s a business issue. Calling for representation in the boardroom and gender balance in the workplace is something to be celebrated – but it’s a radical shift in power dynamic that is most needed. Without challenging the structural power that lies in the boardroom and perpetuates deepening inequality for women, Balance for Better does little to address the cycle of extreme poverty, discrimination, and violence women continue to face, including in their places of work.