International Women's Day - M, Bond and Unbowed

Today is the 100th International Women's Day.


Yet today, "women perform 66% of the world's work, earn 10% of world's income and own 1% of the world's property."


The statistics are bleak.




Even though the gulf is wide, it is important to remember that improvements have been made during the first one hundred years:

• Girls now receive the same education as boys - in most countries
• Women are welcomed into almost all universities
• Women can vote
• Women have become MPs, National Security Advisers and Prime Ministers 
• There are female astronauts
• Women can work beyond the home and raise families 
• The choices available to women are widening

Changes are taking place, world-wide.


For example: 17% of Congress in USA is made up of women (90th in world). In Canada and in the UK 22% of Parliament is female. In Rwanda it's 56%


On the 100th Anniversary of the International Women's Day, I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate inspiring woman.


m'Mam (my Mum) raised eight kids and, when I was young, worked shifts - including night shifts - so she could be home when we were not at school. She inspired my Dad to write soppy poetry three times a year.


Elizabeth Fry is the first women I remember coming to admire. She began as a humble Quaker and became the woman who took on the government on behalf of prisoners and their families and those suffering from mental health disorders, in the UK and beyond. She also established the nursing school that inspired Florence Nightingale and we all know how that turned out.


Who inspired you?


It could have been your Mother or Grandmother, another family member, a teacher or librarian ;) Mother Teresa, Emmeline Pankhurst or Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole.


Perhaps there was a female character or author who opened up a world of possibilities for you?


I'd love to say the author who influenced me and made me want to write was Margaret Atwood, one of the Bronte sisters or Jane Austin but mine was a very early literary influence. Enid Blyton inspired me to more than a life-long love of ginger beer: whether they came in 5s or 7s I loved her adventure stories. (I wanted to be George; you could guess that, right? J ) My teacher said, "We've only got a couple here but there are lots more in the library."  Library?


International Women's Day:
"Are we equals? Until the answer is 'yes', we must never stop asking."