Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day reflect a long history of collective advocacy for equity and opportunity. Emerging in the early 1900s, these observances recognize the efforts of women and allies who pushed for social, political, and workplace rights at a time when opportunities were limited.March 8 was later established as International Women’s Day, and in 1987, the U.S. formally designated Women’s History Month to honor the lasting contributions of women across all fields and communities.This is proof that taking up space, intentionally and unapologetically, is essential to creating meaningful change. In choosing to exist fully, we strengthen ourselves from within.With every step toward claiming our place, we expand our capacity to give more to our work, our communities, and our passions.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme, Give to Gain, is a reminder that giving is not loss but an act of growth.It is pouring from a cup filled with hard-earned self-worth and choosing generosity with intention. It is learning to come together, to share what we have built, and to use it to continue changing the world.Give to Gain means using our platforms to make our voices louder, especially for those who are still being silenced today. So, we hold out our palms, lift our heads, and reach back to pull others up with us so that we can all rise together.This movement is not limited to women alone. It welcomes people of all genders, ages, and backgrounds to stand, for there is nothing more beautiful than seeing the rest of humanity show up together for those who have not yet had the privilege of being seen.
To honor our ongoing commitment to women across our organization, we dedicated this month to creating spaces where our people could come together to learn, engage, and reflect. Through thoughtfully designed events and conversations, we reinforced the importance of inclusion, equity, and shared progress.One of the most impactful moments was our International Women’s Day keynote, From Gender Data Gaps to AI Risk: Why Inclusive Evidence Is a Strategic Imperative, led by Caroline Criado Perez. A best-selling author, award-winning broadcaster, and one of today’s most influential voices on gender equity.In her keynote, Caroline highlighted how gender data gaps continue to shape the world around us, often with serious consequences. She shared compelling examples from car safety, healthcare, and artificial intelligence to show how systems designed around a “default male” standard can fail women and, in doing so, create risk for everyone.As AI becomes increasingly embedded in decision-making, she emphasized that biased data does not disappear but is amplified, reinforcing inequities at scale.Her message was clear: collecting inclusive data, analyzing it by sex, and increasing representation in the teams building these systems are not just matters of fairness. They are strategic imperatives that lead to safer, more accurate, and more effective outcomes for all.At RELX Reed Elsevier Philippines, the REPH Women Circles in Manila and Iloilo organized a series of activities throughout March aligned with this year’s theme, Give to Gain. These events provided opportunities for employees to learn, connect, and support one another through important conversations and shared experiences.The month’s activities included a makeup tutorial focused on self-expression, an educational session on skin health, a discussion on navigating burnout and building sustainable solutions, and an important talk on Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC). The celebrations concluded with Give to Gain: Run for Her, Run Together, an in-person event in Manila that brought colleagues together in solidarity and movement.These initiatives are just some of the ways we celebrated women across our organization. Explore more stories here, featuring eight women whose volunteer leadership through RELX Cares reflects a strong commitment to serving their communities.
When it comes to gender equity and recognizing women in our society, we have come a long way, but the work continues. March is a moment to remember the women who paved the way, whose courage and advocacy shaped the freedoms we stand on today.But this is more than a moment in time. It is a call to keep marching beyond March, shaping this generation and securing a more equal and inclusive future for those still to come.
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