International Women’s Day: We Don’t Need Flowers, We Need Change

Another International Women’s Day, But Are We Actually Moving Forward?

Ah, International Women’s Day. A day when companies roll out pink Instagram posts, hand out flowers, and send oh-so-thoughtful emails about how much they appreciate women. And yet, the reality? Women are still drowning under impossible expectations.

We’re expected to excel at work like we don’t have families and to raise families like we don’t have jobs. We should be ambitious, but not too ambitious. Strong, but not too strong. Have it all together, but make it look effortless. Oh, and don’t forget to take care of your mental health, eat clean, and age gracefully while you’re at it.

The truth is, women don’t need another token gesture on 8 March. We need real, systemic change.

The Never-Ending Juggle: Work, Motherhood, and the Myth of “Balance”

Let’s talk about the pressure cooker we live in.

• Women are still underpaid compared to men because apparently, our work is worth less (newsflash: it’s not).
• Working mums are expected to perform like they don’t have kids while also being “supermums” who make homemade organic lunches.
• Childcare is either extortionate or inaccessible, yet women are guilted for “choosing” to work.
• We fight for a seat at the table, only to be interrupted, overlooked, or given more work for the same pay check.
• We’re judged for prioritising our careers, but also judged if we stay at home. Either way, we lose.

And yet, somehow, we power through. Because we have to.

The Real Conversation We Should Be Having

International Women’s Day shouldn’t just be a day of praise; it should be a day of accountability. So let’s talk about what actually needs to change:

• Pay women what they deserve. Stop with the wage gap excuses. Equal work = equal pay. Period.
• Make workplaces actually supportive. Paid parental leave, flexible working, and childcare support aren’t “nice-to-haves”they’re essential.
• Stop glorifying burnout. Women don’t need to “hustle harder.” We need a system that doesn’t push us to the brink.
• Acknowledge the invisible labour. From emotional support to household management, women do so much unpaid work. It’s time we stop pretending it’s not real labour.
• Take women’s health care seriously. From reproductive rights to menopause support, women’s health is often dismissed or underfunded. It’s time to prioritise research, access, and real solutions.

More Than a Hashtag, It’s Time for Action

So, this International Women’s Day, let’s skip the cupcakes and empty slogans. Instead, ask yourself and the companies, leaders, and policymakers around you what’s actually being done to make women’s lives better?

Because we don’t need a free tote bag or a LinkedIn post about “empowered women empowering women.” We need change. And we need it now.