International Women's Day: Best Practice Competition

Around the world from grassroots activity to global campaigns, many groups support International Women's Day in purposeful and meaningful ways. The level and depth of awareness raising is deep and impressive, vast and significant.

See the IWD 2019 Best Practice Competition winners here.

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About the competition

Was your activity an example of best practice? Might further groups have benefited from seeing and understanding your success? Did you have engaging content, photographs, videos or assets as evidence of your activity and its impact? Hopefully you entered the IWD Best Practice Competition.

Celebrating innovative and effective International Women's Day activity provides direction and inspiration for others. And sharing best practice not only encourages others to achieve great outcomes for women, but sets a benchmark for further activity. Encouraging groups to strive, helps progress the gender agenda and sets a worldwide expectation for meaningful action. By shining a spotlight on examples of good practice and celebrating impact, International Women's Day activity grows bigger and better annually. Sharing the collective information available, builds a hugely valuable pool of expertise, innovation and wisdom. It also inspires further ideas and activity.

Who could enter?

The International Women's Day "Best Practice" Competition was open to groups everywhere, regardless of whether the activity was small or large-scale because ultimately it was the effort and impact that was key.

Groups or their agencies were invited to submit an entry detailing achievements with detailed examples of their innovative activity and outcomes. And "innovation" might not necessarily have meant "innovative by world standards". It may have meant "innovative" for them and their group at this point in time on their journey. Or, it may very well have meant "innovative" by comparison - so much so, that it was the newest, biggest or best activity around by far. Either way, the key aspects that entries addressed were what they did, why they did it, and how they believed it made a difference (i.e. How they forged a #BalanceforBetter?)

How were entries accepted?

All entries were submitted via the Entry Form.

When was the deadline?

The deadline for entries has now lapsed.

What information was required?

The Entry Form requested specific details about why they did what you did, how they did it, and what the impact was. Entries were a maximum of 1,000 words and were supported by visual evidence.

What were the entry categories?

• Private Sector: Impact and Innovation
• Public Sector: Leadership and Progress
• Charity Sector: Awareness Raising
• Education Sector: Knowledge and Impact
• Community Services: Local Engagement
• Sporting Sector: Social Leadership
• Media Sector: Information and Celebration
• Associations/Networks: Member Participation
• Marketing/Design/PR Agencies: IWD Campaign Work for client
• Best IWD Grassroots Impact (non private sector only)
• ​Best IWD #BalanceforBetter Video (submit 1 video only)
• Best IWD #BalanceforBetter Photograph (submit 1 photograph only)
• Best IWD Event Pack use
• Best IWD Cakes

Could more than one category be entered?

An entry could have been made under one (1) Sector category, based on the formal registered legal entity status of the organization (e.g. private sector, public sector, registered charity, etc). If an entry was deemed to be submitted in an incorrect category, it could be changed and entrants notified.

Regardless of whether or not an entry was submitted in a Sector category, entries could be submitted into the following categories: Best #BalanceforBetter Video; Best #BalanceforBetter Photograph; Best use of IWD Event Pack; Best IWD Cake.

What exposure do winners receive?

Competitions have winners so in true competition style, leading examples of Best Practice will be selected across categories and overtly celebrated via the IWD website and social media channels. Winning case studies, demonstrating how groups championed International Women's Day and supported the #BalanceforBetter campaign theme, are used to inform and inspire audiences worldwide as the #BalanceforBetter agenda continues throughout the year. Please note, categories may have multiple winners. For inspiration see last year's IWD Best Practice winners. And, because giving is the best way of receiving, we invite winners to consider an elective donation direct to one of the International Women's Day Charities of Choice - WAGGGS or Catalyst.

How are entrants informed about success of their entry?

Once submitted, an auto-confirmation email was sent. Winners were notified about the outcome of their entry in July 2019. Winning case studies are celebrated on the International Women's Day website and social media channels weekly from August to November 2019 in the lead up to IWD 2020. Winners are notified in advance of the publishing schedule and are invited to review their case study prior to publishing.

Who were the IWD 2018 winners?

Last year saw over 100 groups around the world enter the IWD 2018 #PressforProgress "Best Practice Competition" to showcase their achievements in helping forge gender parity. Their impressive case studies explained how they supported the #PressforProgress campaign for International Women's Day 2018 and encouraged others to help accelerate equality. For inspiration, see 2018 IWD Best Practice winners.

Entries closed