The theme for International Women’s Day 2023 campaign is #EmbraceEquity.
The IWD 2023 #EmbraceEquity campaign theme seeks to get the world talking about why “equal opportunities are no longer enough” – and can in fact be exclusionary, rather than inclusive.
For Business Coalition for Women executive director, Evonne Kennedy, International Women’s Day is an important date set aside to recongnise the important roles women play in society, and the potential they have.
“There are women in leadership roles but there could be more,” she said.
“We need more women in decision-making roles, we need more women in senior executive positions, we need them in boards, we need them in schools, we need them in our communities.
“Without women’s voices, we’re missing out on our full potential as a country.”
Stephanie Yoko, who graduated today from the Business Coalition for Women’s Certificate IV leadership and management course, believes a change in mindset is the way forward for PNG.
Yoko, who is an administrative officer with Black Swan International in Lae, pointed to the ‘big men system’, where traditionally, authority is obtained by men as they are perceived to be more capable in making decisions for the community while women are expected to conform to rules and norms in society.
“It’s 2023 now, times have changed. We have advanced in technology so how we used to think two decades ago, we have to change that mindset.
“Women should be given equal opportunities to rise up.”
This year’s theme of ‘Embrace Equity’ differentiates between ‘equality’ and ‘equity’, where the latter recognises that each person has different circumstances, and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.