The women who paved the way for us dared to envision a 2024 where gender equality would not be a battle, but a victory universally celebrated. However, in a world challenged by climate crises, conflict and political unrest, the burden on women remains heavy.
Today, 122 million girls globally are out of school and 1 in 3 women worldwide have been the victim of physical violence. Look at this in combination with situations where women’s rights are undoing progress (the overturning of Roe v Wade in the United Sates after 50 years) and it is clear, there is still significant work to do.
With the UN calling for more investment in women to make the attainment of gender equality by 2030 a possibility, the importance of fighting for the right to opportunity, free speech, choice, and expression has never been greater.
Today, as we celebrate International Women’s Day 2024, we explore what women carry and why we must further balance the load to really #InspireInclusion and #AccelerateProgress to create a diverse and equitable world for all.
What a woman carries will be unique to the individual and their personal circumstances, but social and cultural expectations will play a huge part here, impacting choices and freedoms. Women carry so much more than that which traditional stereotypes would have us believe. From repression, pain, burden and responsibility to financial independence, ambition and power.
We asked our senior female leaders to share their experience, how what they carry may have changed throughout their lives and served to shape them and how we can collectively #InspireInclusion and #AccelerateProgress for the next generation.
I’ve always embraced authenticity. What you see is what you get—no surprises. However, for many years being too honest at times created roadblocks for me. Over time, I’ve learned to blend authenticity with the complexities of politics. Today, I harmonise both aspects because I know myself very well and my spiritual exploration has revealed how energies shape our lives. Every day, I carry hope for a better world—one where the traditional economy coexists with a relationship-based economy creating positive relationships, peak performance, and well-being, and respect being extended to all species on our planet.
For my children's entire lives, I have worked outside the home and like working mothers across the globe, I carry the burden of guilt, shaped by societal expectations of motherhood and internalised cultural norms of 'what good mothers do'. The guilt that comes with making difficult choices between the competing demands of being a mother and wage earner was constant. But as my children become young adults, that guilt does start to subside and in its place, I now carry optimism. That my daughters grew up in a house where their mum juggled many balls, and often dropped a fair share, has hopefully shattered the illusion that perfection is the norm. The most important thing is self-belief in their abilities, and that they become financially independent, confident young women. And I carry gratitude that my son goes out into the world, fully accepting of gender equality, equity of opportunity and of reward, having a working mum as his role model.
I carry my history
I carry my regrets
I carry my healing
I carry my pain
I carry my grit
I carry my fortitude
I carry my solitude
I carry my attitude
I carry my energy
I carry my peace
I carry my blessings
I carry my strength
I carry my gratitude
I carry my joy
I carry my love
I carry my story
What we carry defines us and shapes our individuality. It’s not always a burden; sometimes, it’s a collection of unique skills that allow us to be caregivers and givers. My sense of purpose and societal impact has evolved over the years, shaped by experiences and lessons learned. Today, women have a critical role in leading the agenda for inclusion and diversity. It’s not about being a ‘superwoman’ caricature; it’s about realistic inspiration—showing what women can achieve in any capacity. In World War II, women played a remarkable role in code-breaking and scientific endeavours, inspiring generations of women scientists who have achieved incredible things. We all carry something—men and women alike—but it’s how we carry it that sparks future change.
Living part time in South Africa, I am frequently reminded of the huge impact that place of birth, a factor entirely outside of our control, can have on what women carry. Personally, I grew up in a harm free and peaceful environment with access to education, food and a warm home. I carry that privilege and with it the responsibility to support young lives in South Africa where many girls do not have this security and are often victims of abuse. Providing the access to vital development in a safe and holistic environment allows this next generation of women to carry ambition, optimism and hope for a brighter future.
Today I carry guilt that I forgot to pack my son’s reading book. Yesterday I carried pride in my team for the delivery of a great project and tomorrow, another piece of the load will be amplified. Every aspect of what I carry is part of my make up as a person - my experience DNA - where guilt is offset by pride, fear with ambition and burden with blessing. Mostly though I carry hope that we can keep pressing forward, demanding more, and speaking up to challenge judgements and stereotypes and ensure everyone can use the uniqueness of what they carry as their superpower.
The desire to forge my own path has been my compass and the pursuit of freedom has shaped my life choices. Gender, like an invisible hand, often imposes limitations, telling us, “This is your place. These are your boundaries.” Tradition, society, and even education can be walls that confine us, and I speak to women every day who limit their dreams because of these boundaries.
This is a notion I have always rebelled against. We are all more than the roles assigned to us – we are a symphony of dreams, aspirations, and resilience. For me, freedom is knowing I can choose to break these barriers.
So today, I carry two things:
Responsibility: to support, challenge and encourage women to break through the boundaries holding them back from achieving their dreams.
Hope: I know that countless women still inhabit corners of the world where choice remains elusive. The World Economic Forum’s report echoes this truth: 131 years until gender parity. So today, I hope that we continue to challenge status quo, dismantle barriers, and amplify voices, so everyone has the freedom to determine their own path.
Born in the East, brought up in reunited Germany and raised in a family with a history of being political opponents of the GDR system I was brought up with a natural resilience to follow the norm. Family history and cultural background has an impact on our personality and the values we stand for. Knowing what it means not to have the right of free speech and the ability to create the life you are happy to live makes me an ally to all humans. Freedom is colourful, freedom means equal rights regardless of your gender or background, it means to acknowledge different opinions and respect for one another. What I carry is the hope to break through every border of prejudice, to have the strength of fighting for my believes, and the freedom for any person to live their idea of life. What I carry is the wish to set an example for those, who need inspiration and courage to find their own path. What I carry is the believe that love and respect for yourself and others is the key to a more inclusive world. The freedom of choice is what I cherish and having seen what it means not having the choice makes freedom so precious.
