By Kyler Sumter

Today will mark the 106th year that International Women’s Day will be celebrated around the world. The purpose of the holiday is to highlight past, and current, struggles for women’s rights. Every year the IWD has an overarching theme through which the conversation and activism around the day is centered. This year’s theme is “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030”. The United Nations calls for people to step it up for gender equality and work towards a planet that ensures that “the world of work works for all women”. Here are 5 ways that women around the world are banding together and not only celebrating their accomplishments but also strategizing ways to garner rights moving forward.

1. Be Bold for Spiritual Change 2017

Christian women all over the world joined together in a day of prayer and fasting on March 7th and prayed for boldness and strength in Jesus. Today they plan to act out on this boldness to share the word of God with the world and help women everywhere find the value for which they were created.

2. The “Day Without A Woman” Strike

The organizers of the Women’s March that took the country by storm shortly after President Trump was elected announced that they were planning a “Day Without A Woman” strike on IWD. The strike aims to bring awareness to issues like unequal pay, reproductive rights, and other civil liberties. The organizers are calling on women to take the day off of work or school as well as to refrain from spending any money to highlight the importance of women’s role in society.

3. Using the #IWD2017 Hashtag

We live in an era where we voice our opinions, ask questions, and even celebrate holidays on social media. You can join along with the thousands of people, news companies, and organizations using the hashtags #IWD or #IWD2017 to recognize influential women who may often be ignored. Among the recognized on the hashtag are the policewomen of a police force in Pakistan, a Malawi woman who broke up 850 child marriages, and female Muslim athletes being represented for the first time in Nike’s new Pro Hijab sportswear.

4. Specific Events

Companies everywhere are recognizing the accomplishments that their female employees contribute to their success. DreamWorks Animation Studio made a video dedicated to female actors, producers, casting executives, and any women who contribute to the success of their projects to show that the projects could not be nearly as successful without them. The Office of the Cyber Security Special Advisor in Australia held an event yesterday with a panel of women who work cyber security jobs where they celebrated them and discussed ways to further smash the cyber glass ceiling.  YouTube has also launched its #HerVoiceIsMyVoice campaign, aimed at shining a light on the impactful women in the YouTube community and around the world through videos and storytelling. These are only three examples of the thousands of events happening all over the world to celebrate women in their specific fields.

5. Facebook 24-hour International Women’s Day Livestream

Facebook will be livestreaming events, like the ones mentioned above, all over the world. For 24 hours straight the social media outlet will be talking with women who are leaders in their fields and using the hashtag #SheMeansBusiness.The event has already kicked off by talking to media experts Lizzie Marvelly of New Zealand and Mia Freedman of Australia. Facebook is inviting women around the world to tune in and even post their own live videos using the #SheMeansBusiness hashtag.

It’s safe to say that International Women’s Day helps to mobilize and inspire women, and the companies and people whose lives they touch, everywhere.

Bolder Sisters, do you plan to celebrate? Please share how in the comments section below.

Kyler is following her passion for journalism and news. She’s been reporting on city news since 7th grade and her drive only gets stronger.

She currently serves as an editorial intern for Boston University’s news website BU Today, a production crew member and Twitter Manager for BUTV10’s news/debate show On That Point, and a digital organizing fellow for Boston City Councillor Tito Jackson’s mayoral campaign. She’s worked at Boston University’s independent student newspaper The Daily Free Press as a staff writer, an associate city editor, and an associate layout editor.

Kyler’s work can be seen in The Daily Free Press, BU Today, USA Today College, The Huffington Post, MTV, Affinity Magazine, Women’s ENews, and Columbia Links.

P.S. She also co-hosts a podcast about the comedic genius that is The Office in her spare time.