Today, March 8th,  is International Women’s Day, a global celebration of the social, political, and economic accomplishments of all women everywhere. This day is also an opportunity to reflect on the challenges and inequality that women still face. International Women’s Day is always pertinent to the work of SWSG, but this year’s theme is particularly relevant.  With the theme “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures,” it is the goal that all the IWD events held today will include girls in some way. In this way, IWD aims to connect the women of tomorrow with the international female community of today, empowering the young minds that are essential to the success of our global future.
This is exactly the hope of SWSG when we strive to create cycles of mutual empowerment for women and girls. By exposing girls to the stories of inspiring women of the past and present, SWSG hopes that girls will understand that they all have the potential to be essential-change makers in their communities and the world. By building connections to a supportive all female community, SWSG hopes girls will find inspiration among both role models and supportive peers.
International Women’s Day is a perfect point of reflection for Strong Women, Strong Girls, because it helps to remind us of our larger mission. We are inspired by each girl at our program sites, as well as by the dedication of each mentor. The positive power of women and girls is evidenced every year in SWSG, as girls and women connect to solve problems and transform their communities.
International Women’s Day encourages reflection on women’s history, women’s accomplishments, and the international community of women. In this context, it’s clear that the work of SWSG is not limited to the empowerment of girls in three American cities. Rather, it is an essential part of the global effort to realize a better world for women.  According to  statistics from UN Women, 70% of the world’s poor are women, and while women do two thirds of the world’s work, they earn a mere 10% of the world’s wages. Equality is good for everyone, as research demonstrates that true equality for women would result in a huge boom in worldwide economies. SWSG works to address all gender-specific challenges that face women and girls, both nationally and regionally. And, with a new program site in Israel, SWSG has truly gone global.
In honor of the day, let’s reflect on how essential girls are to our global future, and let’s make sure we prioritize the empowerment of girls every time we consider that future. And when tomorrow comes, and International Women’s Day ends, let’s keep it up. One day can help us dream of a better future for women and girls, but it takes every day to see that dream realized. How will you commit to empowering girls this International Women’s Day?