Women: Agents of Change

This International Women's Day, we are reminded of the transformational role that women continue to play in society, not only in their family's contributions but also in the greater economy. In many homes, women are the glue that holds the family unit together in countless ways. Similarly, in organizations, women in leadership roles facilitate the building of both business and employee relations.

As entrepreneurs, women are trailblazers, pushing through the boundaries, stepping up to challenges, and overcoming adversity to achieve their dreams and professional aspirations. They continue to chart new paths and take the road less traveled to carve out a life that is both extraordinary and rewarding for themselves and their families.

In the new world of work, women have been instrumental in leading and embracing change in their respective organizations. Although breaking through the glass ceiling has been slow, they have not let that deter them. They have continued to make a difference where they can. The theme for International Women’s Day 2023 is, “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.” The UN Women’s Gender Snapshot 2022 report has shown that the exclusion of women from taking part in the digital world has cost the global economy $ 1 trillion from the gross domestic product of low- and middle-income countries in the last decade. Furthermore, this loss will continue to grow to $ 1.5 trillion by 2025 if no action is taken to move the needle. This puts the challenge squarely on all of us to take steps in our little corners to drive the digital transformation agenda for women, especially for young girls. It is not about acting on a large scale but more about focusing the change at an individual level. The change must begin with us as women.

As usual, the questions I have are:

1) What are we doing to advance ourselves digitally as women?

2) What are we doing to advance the digital transformation of other women and young girls?

As a start, we must constantly upskill ourselves and make it our personal responsibility to achieve the digital change we want to see in the world, as in the words of Mahatma Gandhi.

Women, globally, continue to be a formidable force with the potential to be even greater as outlined in the UN Report. As women, with daughters and nieces, we must never lose sight of the impact we have on them. Oftentimes, we influence without saying a word. It is not so much what we say but the behavior we model around them that speaks volumes.

Above all, I challenge all women to not only focus on working hard to achieve their dreams and goals but also to remember to have fun and infuse lots of love and laughter on their journeys. Take joy in the small pleasures that life has to offer and always keep a song in their hearts.