When We Fail to Value Women, Dictators Rise: 100 Reasons to Honour Women’s Vital Work This International Women’s Day

Women Rise, Humanity Rises:

International Women’s Day is a vital reminder of the immense contributions women make to our world and the ongoing struggle for true gender equity. It’s a day to celebrate progress made, honour courageous pioneers, and recommit to the unfinished work of building a world where every girl and woman can thrive and lead without limits.

But it’s also a sobering reminder of the devastating consequences when societies fail to value women as full and equal human beings. History has shown time and again that the subjugation and marginalization of women goes hand-in-hand with authoritarianism, violence, and repression.

Some of the cruelest and most brutal dictators of the modern age – men like hitler, stalin, and putin – rose to power in societies where toxic masculinity and misogyny ran rampant. These tyrants viewed women as inferior, as mere instruments for their own power and pleasure. They used violence and fear to silence women’s voices, quash their ambitions, and relegate them to subservient roles.

In nazi Germany, hitler’s regime glorified a twisted ideal of masculinity, relegated women to the sphere of “Kinder, Küche, Kirche” (children, kitchen, church), and denied them fundamental rights. In stalin’s Soviet Union, despite Marxist rhetoric of equality, women bore the brunt of his terror and repression. And in putin’s russia today, the strongman brand of leadership is intertwined with macho posturing, homophobia, and the denigration of women.

But the same insecurity and fear of women’s power that drives these dictators’ cruelty also reveals a fundamental truth: when women rise, the old order trembles. Women have been on the frontlines of every struggle against tyranny, leading movements for democracy, human rights and peace in the face of daunting odds. From Soviet dissident Yelena Bonner to the anti-Nazi resistance fighter Sophie Scholl to the Ukrainian women defending their homeland today, courageous women put their bodies on the line for a brighter future.

So let International Women’s Day be a reminder not just to celebrate women, but to truly value them in every sphere of life. Let it be a call to uproot the deep misogyny that still plagues too many hearts and too many institutions. And let it be an affirmation that women’s leadership is not just a matter of fairness, but of survival. Women’s equality is one of the surest bulwarks against fascism and dictatorship – because when you build a world where girls grow up with their full humanity recognized, you build a world with no place for tyrants.

Our collective future depends on it. We cannot create the just, peaceful and sustainable world we seek while half of humanity still faces oppression and discrimination. So today and every day, let us recommit to the vital, unfinished task of achieving equal rights, equal opportunities, equal power and equity for every woman and girl. There is no greater fight than the fight for a world where every woman can rise. In that world lies our best hope for freedom and flourishing for all.

Please add your reason why it is important to recognize women’s work today and everyday. Here is the starting list:

• Women’s work drives economies, advances innovation and sustains families and communities worldwide.
• Recognizing women’s achievements challenges biases, shifts perceptions and inspires girls to dream without limits.
• Women’s unpaid and underpaid labour enables societies to function but is often invisible and undervalued.
• Closing gender gaps in wages, wealth, leadership and opportunity requires fully valuing women’s contributions.
• Women’s unique perspectives and approaches enrich every field and improve collective problem-solving.
• Throughout history, women have been pioneers and trailblazers, despite facing immense barriers and opposition.
• Empowered women transform families, communities and nations, creating ripple effects that benefit everyone.
• Women’s participation and leadership is crucial to tackling global challenges like inequality, conflict and climate change.
• When women thrive, they invest in their children’s health and education, breaking cycles of poverty.
• Women have been leaders in every struggle for social, economic and environmental justice.
• Economies that fail to fully tap women’s talents and potential pay a high price in unrealized growth and innovation.
• Women’s tireless work in the home sustains families and enables their loved ones to thrive.
• Women in male-dominated fields pave the way for greater equity and inclusion, challenging entrenched norms.
• Herstory must be reclaimed – women’s stories and contributions have been erased or marginalized for too long.
• Women’s vital work in education, healthcare, nonprofits and other caring professions is chronically undervalued.
• Recognizing women’s leadership and resilience in the face of conflict and disaster is key to effective recovery and peacebuilding.
• Women’s entrepreneurial drive fuels job creation, economic dynamism and inclusive growth in every country.
• Women have been guardians of culture, language and traditional knowledge for generations.
• Valuing women’s work is key to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals and a better future for all.
• Women’s self-expression through the arts and literature opens minds, touches hearts and reflects our shared humanity.
• Women are the backbone of our food systems, from small-scale farming to food processing to meal preparation.
• Women’s under-recognized emotional labour keeps relationships, families and workplaces functioning.
• From domestic workers to small-scale vendors, women in the informal economy deserve recognition and rights.
• Women have been spiritual leaders, wisdom keepers and healers in communities since time immemorial.
• Women’s essential but often invisible work allows men to succeed and children to thrive.
• Female scientists and inventors have been behind some of history’s most important breakthroughs.
• Women are leading the global transition to clean energy and sustainable development solutions.
• Immigrant women’s labour and sacrifices create a better future for their families against immense odds.
• Women’s achievements in sports inspire us all and challenge entrenched notions of power and strength.
• Rural women sustain families, steward natural resources and preserve ancestral knowledge.
• Women make up most of the global health workforce, serving on the frontlines of healthcare and caregiving.
• Female philosophers, theorists and social critics expand our understanding of the human experience.
• Women drive the creative industries, from publishing to entertainment to fashion and beyond.
• Women have always been technologists and makers, from ancient times to the digital age.
• Indigenous women are leading the fight to protect their lands, languages and lifeways.
• Women in the skilled trades build and maintain the infrastructure we all depend on daily.
• Female explorers and adventurers have tested the limits of human endurance and expanded our horizons.
• Women diplomats and peacemakers strive to build bridges in a fractured world.
• Women scholars of religion and faith leaders uphold the values of love, compassion and service.
• Female astronomers and space scientists are unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos.
• Women’s activism and organizing is the beating heart of every movement for rights and justice.
• Incarcerated women, so often survivors of abuse and trauma, deserve recognition and a chance to heal.
• Women with disabilities face compounded biases but fight for inclusion and equity for all.
• Female journalists and artists risk their safety to report the truth and reflect the human experience.
• Trans women face extreme marginalization and violence for living their truth and claiming their identities.
• Women veterans and service members defend our freedoms at profound personal cost.
• Young women and girls are leading social change movements and blazing new trails for our future.
• Women are the unsung heroes of disaster response and recovery, sustaining communities in crisis.
• Female conservationists and park rangers protect precious wildlife and wilderness for future generations.
• Women in technology and engineering are coding a better, more connected future for us all.
• Female architects and designers are reimagining the built environment to be more sustainable and inclusive.
• Women elders and retirees share valuable knowledge, experience and time to enrich their communities.
• Women’s vital but undervalued work in logistics and transportation keeps our world moving.
• From construction sites to factory floors, women’s manual labor builds the world we inhabit.
• Women in the justice system, from lawyers to judges to advocates, fight for the rights of the vulnerable.
• Female economists and financial experts help steer us toward a more equitable and prosperous future.
• Women’s unpaid household labor creates immense unrecognized value that our economies depend on.
• Women environmental activists and land defenders put their bodies on the line for our planet’s future.
• LGBTQIA+ women face compounded oppressions and have long been leaders on the frontlines of liberation.
• Women in the arts use their creative gifts to tell vital stories, spark empathy and shift culture.
• Female linguists and translators build bridges of understanding in an interconnected world.
• Women’s contributions to sports go far beyond the playing field, from coaching to sports journalism to athletics administration.
• Female astronomers and physicists expand our understanding of the fundamental forces shaping our universe.
• Women’s work in libraries, museums and archives preserves our shared stories and cultural heritage.
• Female legislators and policymakers work to make our laws and institutions more equitable and inclusive.
• Women’s talents and leadership in the culinary arts have shaped food cultures and nourished us in body and soul.
• Female firefighters, EMTs and first responders put their lives on the line to keep us safe.
• Women in forestry and park services maintain precious green spaces and educate the public.
• Female social workers and counselors provide vital support to the traumatized and vulnerable.
• Women’s work in sanitation and waste management protects public health and the environment.
• Female photographers and photojournalists capture pivotal moments and share underrepresented stories.
• From ancient times to today, women have advanced every branch of mathematics.
• Women provide the majority of paid and unpaid elder care, allowing our loved ones to age with dignity.
• Female performers and entertainers use their gifts to bring joy, inspiration and catharsis to the world.
• Women’s work in the funeral industry provides comfort and healing in times of grief and loss.
• Female cartographers and geographers help us understand the world we inhabit and how to steward it.
• Women’s labour in mining, manufacturing and industry is the backbone of our material world.
• Female judges and legal advocates work to make our justice systems more fair and impartial.
• Women in communications and public relations shape narratives and build crucial public understanding.
• Female philosophers and ethicists help us grapple with fundamental questions of existence and morality.
• Women’s work in human resources ensures workers are treated with fairness, dignity and respect.
• Female veterinarians and animal caretakers ensure the health of creatures who share our world.
• Women’s artisanal crafts and handiworks are vital creative expressions of culture and tradition.
• Female athletes and fitness professionals inspire us to test our limits and care for our health.
• Women’s spiritual leadership and devotion is the lifeblood of faith communities worldwide.
• Female scientists and medical researchers expand our understanding of health, disease and treatment.
• Women’s work in hospitality and tourism connects us across borders and cultures.
• Female musicians and composers add immeasurably to the richness of the human experience.
• Women’s labour in garment work and textiles stitches and weaves the very fabric of our lives.
• Female politicians and diplomats work to build peace, forge understanding and serve their people.
• Women’s nonprofits and grassroots groups form the backbone of every community.
• Female mentors and teachers share knowledge, provide guidance and shape future generations.
• Women in architecture and urban planning imagine and create the equitable communities of tomorrow.
• Female economists and economic policymakers help us create a global economy that works for everyone.
• Women’s work in nutrition and dietetics helps us understand how to fuel and care for our bodies.
• Female advocates and grassroots leaders fight tirelessly for the rights and dignity of all.
• Women in public service and administration keep the gears of government turning for the public good.
• Female journalists and non-fiction writers shine light on stories and truths that need telling.
• Women’s unpaid emotional labor and caregiving is the invisible glue that holds society together.
• Recognizing women’s contributions is not about women vs. men – it’s about building a better, more equitable world for all. When women rise, humanity rises.