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International Women’s Day – a day that is celebrated across the world on 8th March with events, speaker sessions, tons of gifting, and networking events. This year was no different, even though a lot of these were held virtually.
‘Choose to Challenge’ – The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) invited us to reflect and call out gender biases and inequality in modern society while celebrating the achievements of women.
The above theme got us thinking about ‘What would our #SEGreatPeople wish to challenge this 8th of March? How different would the world be if all those wishes were granted? What would be its impact and how would that translate into a more gender-inclusive world?’
We reached out to our associates to garner their top 3 wishes for this Women’s Day if they had a superpower to make them come true. Read on for some exciting answers! They offer us a thought-provoking insight into what our associates wish to challenge and change in the lives of women for women’s day.
Mehnel Tauro feels that all you need is some love
“I would make women financially independent and provide them enough physical strength to defend themselves.
I would ensure all children acknowledge and reciprocate their mothers’ love.
Promote a safe and inclusive environment for women so that we would no longer need any superpowers.”
Ayushi Goyal is of the opinion that putting an end to biases and stereotypes is the way ahead
“I would enable women to be kinder to themselves and put an end to body shaming.
Empower women to speak up their thoughts and be vocal about their choices.
Create a world where there are no preconceived notions around what both genders can or cannot do.”
Deepti Tangri would have everyone celebrate a woman’s personal milestones rather than them being looked at as a hindrance to their career.
“I would ensure that personal milestones do not hinder career acceleration and would foster more women in leadership roles.
Foster gender equality, eliminate prejudices and get rid of discrimination.
Improve maternal health, pre & postpartum care for underprivileged to reduce maternal mortality.”
Devanshu Mehta wishes he could go back in time to make some changes…
“I would eradicate violence and eliminate Sexual Harassment.
Provide basic education to everyone which includes lessons on Gender Equality and inclusion.
Go back in time and undo all the actions/events which led to discrimination against women and concomitant suffering.”
Education and opportunities can go a long way in moving society ahead, feels Shikha Gupta.
” I would wipe out bias and prejudices from everyone’s minds so one doesn’t have to rethink their choices.
Make our society safe and respectful for everyone so one can express themselves freely.
Make education and opportunities easily accessible so one can make the most of their talent and passion.”
Veerendra Vasamsetty would focus on the well-being of all women to help them overcome any hurdles.
“I would strengthen the physical and mental well-being of women so that they can overcome all odds.
Transform the society so that women can be masters of their choice.
Create a world which has equal opportunities for all genders.”
Manjula Rao commends Schneider’s Inclusive practices to foster an equitable and inclusive climate in the years ahead.
“ I would coach all parents to forgo discrimination and inculcate in children values pertaining to equity and inclusion.
Bestow the right level of education to all so that everyone has the same chance at success.
Reinforce that comparing ourselves to menfolk is a futile exercise and rather, we should focus on Equal Opportunities for everyone.
I am proud of Schneider for its commitment to Equity & Inclusion through interventions like Pay Parity, Developmental Programs like URJA, WiSE and more..”
Vrinda K would focus on the safety of women and plug talent leaks from organizations of today.
“I would transform the world into a place that is as safe as her mother’s womb.
Empower women to break free of all societal barriers and remove the term “ideal woman” that women are forced to conform to.
Plug the leak of women’s talent from the workforce, remind women to preserve their identity, and not to place their aspirations on the back burner. ”
It’s all about redefining terms and daring to disrupt the norms for Anshu Gupta.
” I would change the definition of equality, which can be truly neutral & balanced.
Change conventional thought processes and age-old traditions that may inhibit any woman’s growth in society
Create change in the environment to adopt healthy practices for the mind and body.”
Finally, Yatin Joshi sums it all up when he says that mitigating biases is the key to it all.
“Change people’s mindset to build a planet without any gender bias.
Empower women to build their own identity in both, personal and professional life.
Encourage every woman to dream big and would support her in fulfilling her dreams.”
At Schneider Electric, we recognize the relevance of gender equality as part of our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategy. We educate our employees about the important role of being allies, promoting empathy, and building a sense of belonging.
As we all move towards a more inclusive and equitable world, let’s all choose to challenge gender bias and stereotypes we may see, while encouraging others to be part of the change. Be a part of the change at Schneider Electric: www.se.com/careers
