Wednesday, March 8, is International Women’s Day, an annual worldwide celebration that honors the achievements, contributions and successes of women in various socioeconomic spheres. On this day, we will celebrate all women and girls who have made and continue to make a positive difference in the world and in their own lives.
Stemming from the reform movements of the early 20th century, the impetus for establishing a Women’s Day can be traced back to New York City in February 1908, when thousands of woman garment workers went on strike and marched through the city in protest against their working conditions. While the specific issues at hand have changed throughout the decades, the purpose of International Women’s Day (IWD) remains relevant and important: to honor women’s rights across political, economic, social and cultural spheres. IWD has been recognized as an official United Nations observance since 1975, which also was International Women’s Year, and today, it is a national holiday in many parts of the world.
Each year, a new IWD campaign theme is developed to shine a light on specific topics, many of which are relevant to women’s career advancement in the finance industry. The theme for 2023 is #EmbraceEquity. This important theme seeks to inspire conversations about the difference between “equality” and “equity” and why equal opportunities alone are no longer enough. The #EmbraceEquity theme is based on the premise that people should be given equal opportunities coupled with access to a variety of tools that could serve their individual needs to help create the most successful career that they desire.
Supporting International Women’s Day, its origins and its ongoing efforts to recognize the achievements and contributions of women is inherently aligned with the mission of the STA Women in Finance initiative, which is to assist in meeting the unique career development needs of women in the securities industry, and to foster a culture of inclusion for women.
On March 8, and every day throughout 2023, we should all strive to #EmbraceEquity. To highlight the important work and impressive successes of women in financial services, STA WIF recently launched a new series of interviews with women spanning all areas of the industry who aim to inspire the next generation of women in finance. Kicking off the series is an interview with Jennifer Nayar, President and CEO of Sterling Trading Tech. If you missed it the first time around, the article is reprinted further down in this newsletter.
Happy International Women’s Day!
Inessa Ruffman,
JonesTrading & STA WIF Chair
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