Inclusion Lead Dana David's latest blog challenges us to move past tradition and make International Women’s Day a catalyst for meaningful action.
Growing up in Romania, the 8th of March has always felt like a very special day. It is widely recognised and celebrated across the country, traditionally linked to Mother’s Day and part of the wider spring celebrations that begin on 1 March.
My dad would gift my mum, my sister, and me flowers as a symbol of appreciation and love because it was “our day”. Giving flowers was a custom followed by most men in the country, and as lovely a gesture as it is, as I grew up, I couldn’t help but wonder whether flowers were really what we needed.
Beyond celebration
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day (IWD) is “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls”. According to UN Women, “in 2026, women have only 64 per cent of the legal rights that men hold worldwide. In fundamental areas of life, including work, money, safety, family, property, mobility, business, and retirement, the law systematically disadvantages women.” I would happily trade all the flowers for equal rights.
In the workplace, IWD can sometimes also look like flowers, cupcakes, and inspirational quotes on social media. Celebration has its place, and recognition matters. But this year’s theme challenges us to go further and ask what justice and action really look like in practice, particularly at a time when progress cannot be taken for granted.
When progress feels fragile
Across the UK and globally, conversations about gender equality are becoming more complex and, in some spaces, more contested. We are seeing the rights of trans women to safety, dignity, and respect publicly debated and challenged. If we are serious about “ALL women and girls”, that commitment must extend to trans women too. Inclusion cannot be selective.
There is also growing commentary about ending the “working from home culture” and returning fully to office-based work. While flexibility benefits everyone, we know that the lack of it can disproportionately impact women and other marginalised communities.
These are just a couple of recent examples of how quickly progress can feel fragile. That is why IWD must be more than a moment of appreciation. It should prompt us to look honestly at our processes, our decisions, and our impact.
What action looks like in the workplace
So what does action look like in practice for workplaces? It looks like:
- Ensuring policies protect and affirm all colleagues by creating environments where everyone can show up safely and authentically.
- Building flexible working into everyday practice and making sure that using it will not limit someone’s career opportunities.
- Reviewing data regularly: who is being hired, who is being promoted, who is leaving, and why. It means addressing gaps in pay and progression transparently rather than hoping they will close over time.
- Examining who is sponsored, who is heard in meetings, and who feels psychologically safe to contribute.
- Leaders using their voice, not only on IWD but consistently, to reinforce that inclusion and equal opportunity are central to how you operate and succeed.
- Being an ally in everyday moments, calling out bias, backing women’s ideas in the room, and making space where space has not always been given.
Keep the flowers, change the systems
I still cherish the memory of receiving flowers on 8th March. But real appreciation for women is not measured in bouquets. It is measured in policies that protect, systems that are fair, and workplaces where women can truly thrive.
This IWD, the challenge is not what we say, but what we choose to change.
This blog was written by Dana David, Inclusion Lead at Onvero, and posted on 24 February 2026.
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