International Women’s Day (IWD) is a day of collective global activism and celebration that shines the light on the path and commitment to forging women’s equality. IWD was first held in March 1911, and has since served to highlight the challenges and inequality faced by women across the world and across time. While progress has been made, there is still a way to go.
IWD is committed to creating change across several domains such as employment, creative arts, sport and technology. They also draw focus to women’s health and the challenges faced by women within the health space. For example, women suffer from more chronic illnesses, are more frequently misdiagnosed, frequently taken less seriously when presenting with symptoms, and are less frequently studied. Research also suggests that nearly 80% of women with autism are misdiagnosed – often with conditions such as borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, bipolar disorder and anxiety. For a time, ADHD was thought to be a male-only disorder. Missed or late diagnosis can be damaging for a woman’s self-esteem, mental health, and overall wellbeing. Investing in women’s health is therefore a chance to help women have improved mental and physical health outcomes and help them live healthier lives. Better health and well-being for women creates a ripple effect that extends to families, communities and nations.
This year, the theme is Inspire Inclusion. When others are inspired to understand and value women’s inclusion, we forge a better world. And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there’s a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment. So together, let’s all help fight the good fight. All IWD activity is valid, whether it’s hosting an event for IWD, celebrating the women in your life and their achievements, or challenging gender stereotypes and assumptions. Together, lets work together to create a more inclusive world.
References:
https://www.internationalwomensday.com/ Attoe, D. E., & Climie, E. A. (2023). Miss. Diagnosis: A Systematic Review of ADHD in Adult Women. Journal of Attention Disorders, 27(7), 645–657. https://doi.org/10.1177/ 10870547231161533
McCrossin, R. (2022). Finding the true number of females with Autistic Spectrum Disorder by estimating the
biases in initial recognition and clinical diagnosis. Children. 9(272). https://doi.org/10.3390/children
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