Every year, on March 8, we celebrate International Women's Day. The theme this year is #EachforEqual-An equal world is an enabled world. The first IWD was held in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland as a platform for women to voice their frustrations with inequality in all aspects of their lives. People attended rallies in these four countries "for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office, and end discrimination." Other countries slowly joined the others in recognizing this special day for women.
The United Nations first celebrated IWD in 1975, during one of the most impactful feminist movements in our country's history. I remember the energy surrounding Gloria Steinem emerging as a major leader and eventually an international spokesperson for feminism and equality for women. In 2011, on the 100th anniversary of the first IWD, President Barack Obama proclaimed March 2011 to be Women's History Month. Although March is the designated month of celebration, women's accomplishments are applauded all year long. As a predominantly female profession, we nurses have much to celebrate and many to recognize during the World Health Organization's 2020 Year of the Nurse and Midwife.
Demonstrating your support
The IWD website was created in 2001 after a lull in feminist activism, which helped reenergize the collective voice for women's rights.1 The use of specific colors to symbolize women's equality originated in the United Kingdom in 1908 before the official start of IWD; however, only two of the three colors are still promoted. Purple is the color of justice and dignity, and green represents hope. In the past, white stood for purity but fell out of favor as the concept of purity became controversial with changing times.
Along with declaring a theme for IWD, organizers also create what they describe as a unique pose to represent the theme each year. For 2020, the pose involves crossing one's forearms a short distance apart with wrists straight and fingers together and extended.1 Women and men are encouraged to strike the pose and post a picture of themselves on their social media pages using the hashtags #EachforEqual and #IWD2020 and wearing the IWD colors. Other useful information and resources are available on the website to help you plan or join in scheduled activities that highlight women on March 8 and throughout the year.
Following the mission for health
Providing meaningful messages to empower women is also part of IWD. Private and corporate sponsors partner with IWD to disseminate information about a related professional area. These areas are not all inclusive but do reflect certain work areas where inequalities still exist for women. For their health mission this year, IWD partnered with Medtronic, a medical device company, "to assist women to be in a position of power for making informed decisions about their health." Most health encounters with a woman provide an opportunity for the NP to ask about health concerns, review current health conditions and assess risk factors for others, examine for abnormal signs and symptoms, evaluate her mental state, and develop a mutual plan of care. Importantly, we can educate or reinforce information as indicated, affirm her strengths, and guide her to make informed decisions that improve her health and overall well-being. Completing all of these actions does not require a lot of time; focus and practice skills are effective approaches in doing a full assessment.
Acknowledge special individuals on IWD and during Women's History Month in March.
Jamesetta A. Newland, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, DPNAP, FAAN
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF [email protected]
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