#BeBoldForChange this International Women's Day

#BeBoldForChange is the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, 8 March. All people can be leaders within their own spheres of influence by taking bold pragmatic action to accelerate gender parity and to help forge a better working world — a more gender-inclusive world.

UN Women believe gender inequality remains one of the greatest barriers to women’s empowerment and sustainable development across the world. Women are disproportionately affected by poverty, discrimination and exploitation because of barriers to education and employment and often end up in insecure, low-wage jobs.

“If we do not take an active role in changing gender equality and women’s participation in the economy, it will take 170 years for women to achieve equal economic opportunity to men,” UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said.

The Australian College of Nursing states that International Women’s Day provides an opportunity to reflect on the significant changes nursing practice and the nursing workforce have undergone and implemented.

“This year’s theme is #BeBoldforChange and the nursing profession has a proud history of being bold to achieve change that improves patient health and safety,” Australian College of Nursing Chief Executive Officer Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward commented.

“Nurses are outstanding advocates for patients and their families. As a profession, we have long stood up for what we believe in. We have done this on an individual level, such as a nurse demanding quality care for a single patient, through to championing for nurses to be fully respected as an integral member of the care team and policy debate.”

International Women’s Day 2017 is aiming to forge a better working world. The nursing profession is an example of one profession that has successfully taken up this challenge.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Robert Kneschke