It's time women stopped putting their lives on hold

WHEN the first International Women’s Day took place more than 100 years ago, millions of women rallied together to call for their right to work, vote and to end discrimination.

- SOPHIE HALLE-RICHARDS

Since then, campaigners for women’s rights have taken huge strides in closing the gender-gap, and giving women across the globe access to the opportunities they deserve.

This year, organisers have declared the theme of International Women’s Day to be Embrace Equality – as they call on people to challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias and seek out inclusion.

After all, gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, ‘but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world,’ says the United Nations.

But since the fallout from the Covid19 pandemic, and as the devastating impact of the cost-of-living crisis becomes clear, progress for women’s equality is falling woefully far behind.

In England, women’s health services face crippling pressure – as they continue to be underfunded. Poor diagnosis and treatment options for conditions such as menopause, endometriosis and fertility issues mean women are being forced to put their lives on hold.

And for many women wanting to start a family, an agonising choice is having to be made between caring for their child, or returning to work, due to the spiralling cost of childcare.

Most stark in our fight for equality, is the fight for women to feel safe – as we are in the midst of a violence against women and girls endemic.

According to a staggering report from the UN, more than five women or girls were killed every hour in 2021 by an intimate partner or family member.