Dr. Mary Nyangasi

This International Women’s Day, we’re accelerating action and taking seats at the table with a goal to challenge bias, strengthen leadership skills, and break down obstacles that continue to hold women back.

We owe it to many—generations before us and as recently as our mothers—who had to work twice as hard just to receive an education, as educating girls was (and still is, in some places) considered wasteful. Today, women are disproportionately impacted by diseases like cancer, often due to social determinants of health and lower literacy levels. And for the few who make it to the table to address these pressing challenges, obstacles persist. In fact, a Harvard Business Review study found that men are more likely to challenge, interrupt, or downplay a woman leader’s authority compared to her male counterparts.

It’s time to call out the double standards that shape perceptions and cause many women to give up along the way. On this journey, we must build resilience, nurture our relationships, uphold our values, and support one another.

Above all, women should never undermine their worth: Your leadership, expertise, and authority deserve to be recognized—not merely accommodated.