Purposeful collaboration helps drive gender parity​​

"Alone we can do so little​, together we can do so much​" - Helen Keller

Strategic collaborations can be powerful. By joining forces with key groups and organizations on specific projects, greater impact for women's advancement can be leveraged.

APPLY for an International Women's Day collaboration.

Collaboration: Tools to build more gender equal workplaces

Lean In believes a balanced world is a better world and we all have a role to play to create it. LeanIn runs programs that help women advance and companies create more equal workplaces; from fighting gender bias through to Lean In Circles - small groups where women get and give peer mentorship, sharpen their skills (using the library of expert educational content) and have a place to be unapologetically ambitious. The IWD LeanIn resources support organizations for IWD and beyond.

Collaboration: Prime Employers for Women platform

Where Women Work showcases the impressive work and achievements of women, while shining a spotlight on the organizations supporting them - all while inspiring and engaging female candidates about exciting career options for interns, apprentices, graduates, experienced hires, career returners, executives. The platform promotes female role models, motivating further women to achieve their potential. On IWD and beyond, Where Women Work celebrates Prime Employers for Women.

Collaboration: International Women's Day classroom resources

Puffin Schools wants to give young readers access to new feminist icons and ideas: female authors and artists to be inspired by, women-centred stories to learn from, fantastic heroines to befriend. The IWD classroom resources explore story lines, analyse characters, challenge stereotypes, examine language use and establish a lifelong love of reading. The IWD reading list featured books about women who changed the world - women who stood up, spoke out, struggled through and soared.

Collaboration: Leadership resources for girls & young women

World Association of Girl Guides & Girls Scouts (WAGGGS) is the largest voluntary movement dedicated to empowering girls and young women in the world, and an IWD Collaborator since 2007. WAGGGS provides non-formal educational programs and campaigns; Leadership development resources and training; Girl-led advocacy support in influencing decision-making; Capacity building support. IWD WAGGGS resources develop girls and young women's skills and knowledge in influencing decision-makers about an equal world where all girls can thrive.

Individually we are one drop, but together we are an ocean. IWD collaborations are ongoing formalized global initiatives aimed at supporting women and advancing gender parity. Collaboration proposals are considered via a number of specific criteria. To submit a proposal, please contact us.

Areas of collaboration invited

A number of areas inform IWD's ongoing year-long activity including:

• Education of women and girls - When women and girls are educated, they're more likely to make informed choices and secure employment. Education can help women and girls escape violence and discrimination. It's also important that the education women and girls receive is free from bias and limitation. Women educators and their participation in leadership and decision making through to the highest levels, are also key to equality in education.
• Work in the workplace - When women gain employment outside the home, earn an income and advance, they often re-invest in a better future for themselves, their family and community. Pay parity is critical. And when women and girls see relevant role models they aspire to, they become motivated and inspired to achieve their potential. Prime employers for women have progressive work cultures where diversity and inclusion are valued.
• Women's economic empowerment - When women are economically empowered they gain greater choice, opportunity and power in decision making. Across the world, women's economic empowerment is essential for fostering resilient and sustainable growth of economies and societies. Whether gained via paid employment or their own business, women's financial independence is key.
• Women's health - When women have access to balanced and reliable information, and they're encouraged and supported to seek and maintain a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families, then current and future quality of life may be better. Innovative technologies, early screening and detection, and proactive treatment through all stages of a woman's life is critical for well-being at home, work and in the community.
• Sport and The Arts - When women are equally paid and sponsored, their activity equally covered and viewed, and their professional accomplishments and status equally celebrated - gender parity is more likely to be achieved.
• Various areas - In government, community, health, media, retail, or further - there are many areas where Strategic Collaborations can drive greater outcomes for women and the organizations supporting them.

Whether in social, economic, political or cultural contexts, it is always important for women to participate in decision making, have access to technology and celebrate achievement. Identifying, amplifying and celebrating women's achievement in all spheres of endeavour, sets a progressive benchmark and expectation for equality. Showcasing the successful achievement of women not only helps build recognition but helps broaden perception, promotes role models and challenges bias. Celebrating women's achievement inspires future generations and provides confidence and direction for others. Importantly, celebrating achievement increases women's visibility for further opportunities.

Specific criteria for ongoing IWD collaborative ventures

Following an expression of interest summarising the proposed collaboration, groups where there is great synergy are then invited to submit a more detailed proposal responding to specific criteria for formal review.

Some of these criteria include, but are not limited to, the following:

• the overall purpose for the collaboration
• whether the activity is well-established with proven success, or whether a newly proposed concept
• whether the activity is truly global, or whether demographic or location specific
• whether the collaboration is ongoing or duration specific
• strategic objectives, key outcomes and the impact to be achieved
• the audience or recipients to benefit from the collaboration in terms of gender parity
• specific actions, timeframe and deliverables that will be mutually agreed
• key measurement and performance indicators and milestones
• resources provided and/or required by the organisation/s or group/s involved
• credentials and legal status of the organisation or group entity
• evidence of reach and existing relationships with further groups
• any examples of similar activity

Successful interest will be invited to submit a detailed proposal for further consideration in response to specific selection criteria. Collaborations are strategic, mutually beneficial relationships where the synergy elevates greater outcomes for women. Collaborations are not one-way requests simply seeking promotion of activity, but where each party is equally and intensely involved in a strategic collaboration.

Please note expressions of interest should be submitted at the earliest possible moment. To explore a potential IWD Collaboration, please contact us.