Mary Kom, Oprah Winfrey, Smriti Irani, Vidya Balan, Smriti Mandana, Michelle Obama, Jacinda Ardern, and literally every woman out there is a force to reckon with. If we sit down and listen to their stories, there is no choice for us but to be inspired. All women, in their own right have broken glass ceilings, redefined womanhood, and paved a new path for the women of the coming generation. Having said that, there’s no denying that there still exists a gap between the opportunities given to men versus the opportunities given to women. 

Now, there are several reasons why this occurs almost everywhere. But do you know what can be done to change this? 

First, Educate girls: We know this is an old solution to the problem but it is the most important way to empower women; to give them the confidence to use the voice they have. And we at Claylab hope to do just that for our students too. 

Second, Make Home Science a compulsory subject in schools:  More often than not, Home Science is equivalent to a free period in schools – this needs to change. Cooking, cleaning, and dusting aren’t gender specific jobs. Everyone loves to eat, so they must know how to cook. Everyone likes a clean place, well… they ought to pick up the broom. Simple!

Third, Stop with the ‘don’t do it like a girl!’: Since when did universal actions become gender specific? Crying takes strength and honestly, throwing a ball isn’t really a skill so why is throwing a ball like a girl such an insult? We need to start watching what we say and correct ourselves first. Be the change you wish to see.

Last but not the least, Can we be done with the shaming, please?: One of the keys to an equal world is cutting women some slack. ‘Be a good daughter, be a good mother, heck, be a good woman!’ It is time we let women be. Let them decide who they want to be. And before we see them as goddesses, let us see them as Humans.

The list is quite long but this is a start for a better and brighter tomorrow for all of us and not just women. Let’s celebrate women not just on the 8th of March every year but every single day of our lives.

Happy International Women’s Day!