This Friday the 8th of March marks International Women's Day 2019, an annual event on which the achievements of women across the world are celebrated. Observed for over 100 years now, International Women's Day first came into fruition way back in 1911 and, in its early formation, was supported and promoted by groups such as the Socialist Party of America and the Suffragists and Suffragettes.

In recent years, specific Campaign themes have been elected to help spread awareness of particular issues. For 2019, the campaign theme is #BalanceforBetter which aims to highlight the need for gender parity whilst eradicating gender bias. Gender-balanced workplaces and gender-inclusive language are becoming more and more prominent in the collective consciousness, and the International Women's Day movement aims to foster and promote the importance gender-balance on the 8th of March and beyond. From media and sports coverage to business and government, there is no area of society that should be exempt from a gender-balanced world.

To play your part in helping to raise awareness and make a positive difference, the IWD movement is calling people of all genders across the world to put their hands in the air and strike the #BalanceforBetter Pose on social media along with the hashtag #IWD2019.