When you think about it, the month of March is the perfect time to celebrate and inspire women on International Women’s Day. 

• It’s a couple of months after the start of the new year, so it’s been work work work since the last holiday you took at the end of last year (if you even managed to)
• Some moms might be a little bit extra tired – either since the school holidays or the start of school, not quite getting into the rhythm yet
• But you’re also thinking about your plans for this year – be it career progression, life improvement, or work-life balance

On 8 March, International Women’s Day comes along, and we are all reminded that it’s one big sisterhood and we all inspire one another in our own ways. We are inspired by those we feel are successful and aspire to be more like them. We’re inspired to perform better at work, or take care of ourselves, so that we can be the best we can be. International Women’s Day comes just in time.

This day celebrating women worldwide also inspires everyone – male or female, young and old, rich or poor, to work together to make the world a better place for women, so that NO ONE is lacking or left behind. It’s not about placing women on a higher pedestal than men – it’s about placing women on the same level where men already are and have been for thousands of years. That’s what the International Women’s Day 2025 theme Accelerate Action is about.

The theme comes from the need to achieve gender parity, when women and men can contribute equally to all aspects of life. This includes both public and private life, and refers to many aspects including – the most obvious and perhaps most tangible aspect – income, career positions, work environment, level of education, child care responsibilities, welfare or societal benefits, and others. According to data from the World Economic Forum, it will take 133 years – about five generations from now, to reach full gender parity.

But How Does The International Women’s Day 2025 Theme Accelerate Action Help Individual Women?

Most of the time, the buzz around International Women’s Day focuses on successful women. The aim is to inspire others, by showing that if these women can succeed, so can we. But where do we start? What can we do without the same resources that these women had or have?

Please allow this writer to note how this year’s theme, Accelerate Action, seems to be the most difficult for an individual woman to pull off. We get the idea, sure, but the notion of accelerating action seems to lay at the behest of top management – the people in power. If employers are not aware about the need to implement policies that help women progress in their careers and earn better income, what’s an employee to do?

The official International Women’s Day website suggests that individuals can “call out stereotypes, challenge discrimination, question bias, celebrate women’s success, and so much more.

Additionally, sharing our knowledge and encouragement with others is key.”

We agree that these are great steps for individuals to take, but maybe with more finesse? Our suggestions:

Using the International Women’s Day 2025 Theme To Accelerate Action For Yourself

Ok, we hear ya! Encouraging others is all well and good, but what are actionable steps you can take to help yourself? As it turns out, there are a few things you can do based on the International Women’s Day 2025 theme Accelerate Action to help position yourself better in your career so that it may lead to something better in the future, such as the following:

Showcase Your Leadership Skills

If you are a manager or supervisor at work and handle a team below you, of course you should use the guidelines above to foster better understanding, cooperation and communication among team members as well as between your team members and yourself. 

More visibly (because let’s face it, you need to be more visible with the work you do at the office for top management to notice), use the resources at the official International Women’s Day website to create awareness of this day and this year’s theme.

For example, you could download pledge cards from the website and ask colleagues to photograph themselves with the cards before uploading to their social media accounts to create awareness.

You could also suggest to your HR department or your CEO or COO to use the International Women’s Day email signoff banners in all emails throughout March to raise awareness about the issue of gender disparity. Suggest to management for your company to create their own IWD #AccelerateAction email signoff banner to show clients how the company is supporting the campaign.

By taking the reins on organising an IWD campaign at your workplace, you can demonstrate your leadership in a meaningful way while making yourself visible as a natural leader. Organising morale boosting events at work is also a good element to include in your resumes when applying to other companies in the future, as it not only displays your leadership, people and organising skills, but also that you are aware of current events and societal issues in corporate settings.

Arm Yourself With Data To #AccelerateAction

Beyond simply celebrating International Women’s Day, the theme Accelerate Action was conceived based on the fact that women on a whole are still not receiving the same benefits in many aspects as men are, including in income levels, despite having the same qualifications and experience.

Who wants to wait 133 years to finally be able to earn the same salary as your male contemporary? What you need to do is to find out how much someone in a position similar as yours – with around the same responsibilities and similar amount of experience – is making and negotiate for this higher number the next time your appraisal comes around.

To find out how much you could be earning for the job you’re doing, check on salary comparison sites such as Glassdoor, Indeed or Payscale. Compare the date with your own salary as well as job scope and experience, and decide what your next steps should be. Even if you’re not looking for a promotion or another job, it’s good to stay updated to know your earning potential and keep that in mind as you plan your next steps. (Tip: Follow @malaysianpaygap on Instagram for real-life examples on salary scale as well as navigating certain issues such as salary stagnation and remote/hybrid work compensation.

Even if you are unable to negotiate for better pay or are not eligible for promotion, do keep that dream salary figure in mind as inspiration or a goal to work towards by implementing actionable steps into your work. With these implementations, you are creating valuable work experience and testimonials for yourself that can later be used when asking for a raise or applying for another job.

Stay Foolish, Stay Hungry

We know – sometimes it can be hard to stay inspired. Make it a habit to follow or read up on amazing women who have blazed the trail for gender parity in corporations, or just someone in your field that you look up to. Find out what they did to get where they are and figure out what you can do to #AccelerateAction for yourself based on these women’s stories. 

Even though International Women’s Day itself is for one day only, while most organisations or campaigns ensure it’s run for at least a week up to a month, taking actionable steps isn’t just a one-day event. Use each year’s theme as the basis for a roadmap for long-term, systemic change so that what starts as an inspiration translates into lasting improvements that benefit not just women, but also the community and society, and also you yourself, for both the short term period, and in the long run. Together we can make the world a better place and it starts with raising awareness.

Happy International Women’s Day! #AccelerateAction