https://www.scmp.com/rss/32719/feed International Women's Day is marked on the 8th of March every year. The first observance of the Women's Day was in 1909 in New York as a remembrance of the 1908 strike of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, but evolved through later years into a day marking protests for equal rights, specifically women's right to vote in elections and hold public office. In 1949 the People's Republic of China declared March 8 an official holiday; in 1977 the United Nations declared March 8 to be... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Cat Nelson Cat Nelson Strong women run throughout this issue. It is International Women’s Day today, after all. In our cover story, Salomé Grouard meets filmmaker Elizabeth Lo, whose documentary Mistress Dispeller was shortlisted in December for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar – a first in the category for a Hong Kong director. The film explores China’s strange and little-known industry of “mistress dispellers”, professionals hired to end extramarital affairs. What I found extraordinary was the sensitivity with... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3345750/week-postmag-celebration-women-film-sport-science-and-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3345750/week-postmag-celebration-women-film-sport-science-and-life?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 04:45:11 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3346388/celebrating-international-womens-day-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3346388/celebrating-international-womens-day-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Josiah Ng Josiah Ng It’s a packed International Women’s Day weekend as Bar Mind hosts the experimental unDer Lab from Taipei, Aubrey After Dark brings in DJ Q Narongwate to host its latest edition, and Jin Bo Law Skybar shows off its new Hong Kong-inspired signatures menu. Meanwhile, on Monday, Avoca and DrinkCollectiv spotlight eight women bartenders and influencers in a massive 16-hand guest shift. Friday, March 6 Aubrey After Dark Kick off your weekend with another edition of Aubrey After Dark as the Mandarin... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3345389/your-hong-kong-weekend-drinks-guide-march-6-9?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3345389/your-hong-kong-weekend-drinks-guide-march-6-9?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 10:00:16 +0000 Polish abortion rights activists opened a centre across from the parliament building in Warsaw on Saturday where women can go to have abortions with pills, either alone or with other women. Opening the centre on International Women’s Day across from the legislature was a symbolic challenge to authorities in the traditionally Roman Catholic nation, which has one of Europe’s most restrictive abortion laws. A small but loud group of protesters demonstrated outside the “Abotak” centre as activists... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3301647/polish-activists-open-abortion-centre-front-parliament?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3301647/polish-activists-open-abortion-centre-front-parliament?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Mar 2025 15:20:59 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Some days, Florence Lam Sau-choi can barely cope as she balances a full-time job as a clerk with being the main carer for her elderly parents, both living with dementia. The single woman said the challenges of looking after her father, 88, and mother, 86, sometimes made her consider placing them in a home for the elderly. “One time, I casually brought it up and my dad became agitated, rushed out of the flat and climbed the railing as if he was going to jump off the building. My helper and I... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3301601/art-therapy-helps-hong-kong-women-address-hidden-family-caregiving-stressors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3301601/art-therapy-helps-hong-kong-women-address-hidden-family-caregiving-stressors?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Mar 2025 04:00:30 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification As we celebrate International Women’s Day, this year’s theme, “Accelerate Action”, calls us to move beyond recognition of and drive tangible progress towards gender equality. It reminds us that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3301407/lets-build-hong-kong-where-every-woman-has-chance-succeed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3301407/lets-build-hong-kong-where-every-woman-has-chance-succeed?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Mar 2025 03:30:09 +0000 If there’s one place to be in 2025, it’s Expo 2025 in Osaka, running from April 13 to October 13, where Cartier is making a statement with the Women’s Pavilion. More than an exhibition, it’s a conversation – a space where stories, ideas, and actions converge to spotlight the role of women in shaping a better future. Cartier has long championed the belief that when women thrive, the world thrives. That ethos fuels the Women’s Pavilion, which first made waves at Expo 2020 in Dubai and now returns... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/design/article/3301500/style-edit-cartiers-womens-pavilion-expo-2025-osaka-designed-japanese-architect-yuko-nagayama-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/design/article/3301500/style-edit-cartiers-womens-pavilion-expo-2025-osaka-designed-japanese-architect-yuko-nagayama-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Mar 2025 02:00:20 +0000 Grace Brewer Grace Brewer The F&B industry has long been a male-dominated environment. With unsociable hours, physically demanding workloads and an often intense work culture filled with male bravado, kitchens and bars still see more men than women work their way up the ranks. However, there’s no denying that an increasing number of women are leaving their mark on the industry in Hong Kong. This International Women’s Day, 100 Top Tables spoke to female chefs, mixologists and culinary experts about their journeys,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3301455/word-streat-7-trailblazing-women-reshaping-hong-kongs-fb-scene?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3301455/word-streat-7-trailblazing-women-reshaping-hong-kongs-fb-scene?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:09 +0000 Over the past few decades, there has been significant progress in gender equality globally, with more women holding parliamentary seats, fewer women living in extreme poverty and more legal reforms enacted to close the gender gap. But, despite the progress in some areas, the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index predicts it will take the world 134 years to reach gender parity. Clearly, there is still much work to be done. At the same time, we are seeing some markets and companies in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3301049/having-more-women-boards-makes-business-sense-hong-kong-gets-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3301049/having-more-women-boards-makes-business-sense-hong-kong-gets-it?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Mar 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Women in the Post’s newsroom discuss the people and issues they are thinking about ahead of International Women’s Day. https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3302238/celebrating-international-womens-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3302238/celebrating-international-womens-day?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000 Ashlyn Chak,Kylie Knott,Mabel Lui Ashlyn Chak,Kylie Knott,Mabel Lui International Women’s Day, which falls each year on March 8, is a global celebration not just of the achievements of women but also their resilience, something that resonates with working mothers everywhere. Juggling a career with family commitments can be overwhelming. Stress, burnout and feelings of “mum guilt” are common among women trying to achieve work-life balance. Add to that societal expectations and stereotypes, double standards around domestic workloads, the gender pay gap and the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3301333/how-balance-work-and-child-rearing-3-mothers-hong-kong-share-their-stories?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3301333/how-balance-work-and-child-rearing-3-mothers-hong-kong-share-their-stories?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Mar 2025 10:43:15 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen For nearly half the working women in Hong Kong, their main concern is insufficient income after retiring, according to one of the largest managers of the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF), the city’s compulsory retirement scheme. Women in Hong Kong generally retire earlier than men at 62 and expect to incur an average monthly expense of HK$24,235 (US$3,120) in retirement, according to Fidelity International’s Asia-Pacific Investor Study released on Thursday, ahead of International Women’s Day on... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3301324/women-hong-kong-face-huge-retirement-income-shortfall-fidelity-study-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3301324/women-hong-kong-face-huge-retirement-income-shortfall-fidelity-study-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Mar 2025 09:55:04 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen The proportion of seats occupied by women on the boards of Hong Kong-based companies has surpassed one in five for the first time, but significant disparities remain in senior-management representation and pay equity, reports show. Across all Hong Kong-listed companies, 20.8 per cent of board seats were occupied by women as of October, up from 19 per cent a year earlier and 16 per cent in 2022, according to a report published by MSCI, an American financial company known for its indices.... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3301013/women-hold-1-5-board-seats-hong-kong-firms-first-time-report-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3301013/women-hold-1-5-board-seats-hong-kong-firms-first-time-report-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Mar 2025 23:30:08 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung Just when you thought you’d get a rest after the recent holiday madness, the Hong Kong International Literary Festival returns from March 1 to 8. Venues across Hong Kong, from the Central Library to Soho House, will host a packed schedule of 68 events, including literary lunches, workshops, family-friendly sessions and spotlights on International Women’s Day (with an extended Young Readers Festival schools programme from February 24 to March 7). Having previously hosted literary giants such as... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3299569/explore-literary-wonders-hkilf-march?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3299569/explore-literary-wonders-hkilf-march?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:00:10 +0000 Payal Uttam Payal Uttam For centuries women have been relegated to the margins of the art establishment’s narrative, reduced to being merely muses or models, their worth determined by male artists. Historically therefore, there has been a startlingly drastic underrepresentation of the role women have played in the evolution of art. “They were just never noticed,” says Lee Meiling, head of 20th century & contemporary art at Phillips Asia, who says it’s taken decades, but the balance has finally shifted. Since the 1960s,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3257058/beyond-yayoi-kusama-5-more-women-artists-you-should-know-2024-wangechi-mutus-formidable-female?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3257058/beyond-yayoi-kusama-5-more-women-artists-you-should-know-2024-wangechi-mutus-formidable-female?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Apr 2024 02:00:23 +0000 As a flight attendant for Singapore Airlines, Kay Cheong was staring at an abyss when she was forced to leave her job because she was expecting a baby. Returning to her hometown in Malaysia was not really an option, but after a long job search and several rejections, she landed a modest sales position. While struggling to file her application to become a Singapore permanent resident after having lived there since 2011, Cheong hit upon an idea: why not help smoothen the process for fellow... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3254726/how-asian-women-are-challenging-bias-carve-out-entrepreneurial-success-singapore-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3254726/how-asian-women-are-challenging-bias-carve-out-entrepreneurial-success-singapore-india?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Mar 2024 01:30:13 +0000 At dawn on Friday, Baljeet Kaur, a farmer from Punjab, led a group of 200 women to the village of Shambhu in the state with one mission in mind: to join the ongoing farmers’ protest in India on International Women’s Day. The 38-year-old mother of two from Chamuru village said that it was important to raise awareness of the struggles faced by women farmers in India on this day. “If today, people across the globe are celebrating Women’s Day, I joined our ongoing protest to convey a message that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3254747/indias-protesting-farmers-joined-their-wives-and-mothers-international-womens-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3254747/indias-protesting-farmers-joined-their-wives-and-mothers-international-womens-day?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Mar 2024 14:02:54 +0000 Despite a famous dictum popularised decades ago by the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong – that “women hold up half the sky” – gender disparities continue to have an outsized impact in China, according to political advisers and researchers. Chinese women still suffer from considerable disadvantages in areas ranging from career development to housework burdens, as highlighted by recent survey findings and proposals submitted at this week’s “two sessions” parliamentary meetings. The issue was raised... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3254687/international-womens-day-chinas-gender-equality-failings-still-hold-back-women-and-economic-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3254687/international-womens-day-chinas-gender-equality-failings-still-hold-back-women-and-economic-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Mar 2024 11:00:26 +0000 Senior female business leadership in the Asia-Pacific region has been shrinking this year and is lagging behind other parts of the world, with the lack of flexible working in the post-Covid era posing a hindrance to gender parity, global advisory firm Grant Thornton International said. The proportion of women holding senior management positions in mid-market businesses in the region has dropped to 31 per cent this year, one percentage point lower than 2023, the firm said in a report released on... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3254690/international-womens-day-female-leadership-asia-pacific-businesses-shrinking-flexible-working?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3254690/international-womens-day-female-leadership-asia-pacific-businesses-shrinking-flexible-working?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Mar 2024 10:00:26 +0000 The proportion of wealthy women globally has increased significantly in the past decade as changing attitudes towards women doing business has led to a large number of self-made female multimillionaires, according to a survey by Julius Baer. The number of women ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWIs) last year stood at about 43,500, 11 per cent of the global total, compared with 6.5 per cent in 2010, according to the study released by the Swiss bank on Friday, in conjunction with International... https://www.scmp.com/business/money/wealth/article/3254653/international-womens-day-ranks-self-made-multimillionaires-swell-they-continue-shatter-barriers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/money/wealth/article/3254653/international-womens-day-ranks-self-made-multimillionaires-swell-they-continue-shatter-barriers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Mar 2024 07:42:51 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. On International Women’s Day, I am reminded of the column, “As women get richer, they are also changing the face of philanthropy” (January 22, 2022), which pointed out that rather than just... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3254469/how-companies-can-ensure-gender-bias-doesnt-hold-women-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3254469/how-companies-can-ensure-gender-bias-doesnt-hold-women-back?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Mar 2024 03:30:10 +0000 With an economy struggling to rebound, persistent talent shortages and a rapidly ageing population, Hong Kong needs to use every pocket of talent at its disposal. While many resources are being invested to mitigate the impact of these challenges, there is an overlooked segment of the population that could significantly contribute: women. In Hong Kong, just 48 per cent of the local population of women participate in the workforce. This is in contrast to the 64 per cent of men in Hong Kong and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3253570/gender-inequality-hurts-men-and-boys-too-inclusion-everyones-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3253570/gender-inequality-hurts-men-and-boys-too-inclusion-everyones-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Mar 2024 01:30:11 +0000 Wu Hongling, a 40-year-old single mother in Hong Kong with two children aged nine and three, struggles to make ends meet with her part-time job in a licensed mahjong venue earning HK$60 (US$8) an hour. She was a full-time employee before giving birth to her second child during the Covid-19 pandemic. But after the young boy was diagnosed with a metabolic disorder and heart disease, Wu needed more flexibility to take care of him. “With two kids, it is almost impossible to save any money. I bought... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3254575/international-womens-day-financial-anxiety-burden-traditional-hong-kong-gender-roles-blamed-less?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3254575/international-womens-day-financial-anxiety-burden-traditional-hong-kong-gender-roles-blamed-less?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Mar 2024 00:30:12 +0000 Women’s football “needs a lot of changes” to achieve equality with its men’s counterpart, according to the world’s best player Aitana Bonmati, who said she and her contemporaries were “fighting for everything we deserve”. Barcelona playmaker Bonmati last year won the Fifa Women’s World Cup with Spain and the Ballon d’Or Feminin, awarded to the planet’s leading star, before last month scoring in the semi-final and final of her country’s Uefa Nations League triumph. But speaking on the eve of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3254574/international-womens-day-worlds-best-footballer-aitana-bonmati-calls-lots-changes-there-not-equality?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3254574/international-womens-day-worlds-best-footballer-aitana-bonmati-calls-lots-changes-there-not-equality?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Mar 2024 23:00:17 +0000 Today, China joins the world in celebrating International Women’s Day. Mao Zedong once famously said that women hold up half the sky. According to World Bank data, China’s female labour force participation rate of more than 61 per cent is higher than many developed economies. Chinese women work alongside men and contribute in almost every domain and at almost every level. All of China reaps the benefits of this participation and representation. Unfortunately, one glaring exception is arguably... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3254393/china-will-only-benefit-welcoming-women-high-level-politics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3254393/china-will-only-benefit-welcoming-women-high-level-politics?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Mar 2024 21:30:17 +0000 In May 1988, Alejandra Arevalo became the first female geologist to enter an underground mine in Chile. In doing so, she defied a popular myth: that a woman brings bad luck by venturing into a mine. She also broke the law. At the time, Chilean women were forbidden to work in underground mining or in any other job that “exceeded their strength or put at risk their physical or moral condition”. Arevalo’s defiance helped spark a revolution. By 1993, the restrictions on women in mining had been... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3254189/international-womens-day-when-women-win-world-wins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3254189/international-womens-day-when-women-win-world-wins?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Mar 2024 07:30:08 +0000 Hong Kong-listed firms have seen a notable rise of female representation on boards, thanks to favourable regulation, but they still lag regional peers when it comes to women in key executive roles, according to US-based financial indices and analysis tools provider MSCI. Among companies domiciled in Hong Kong, women accounted for 19 per cent of board seats as of October 2023, compared with 16 per cent in 2022, according to a report published by MSCI on Tuesday, ahead of International Women’s Day... https://www.scmp.com/business/investor-relations/article/3253194/international-womens-day-hong-kong-listed-firms-see-notable-rise-gender-diversity-boards-advocates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/investor-relations/article/3253194/international-womens-day-hong-kong-listed-firms-see-notable-rise-gender-diversity-boards-advocates?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Feb 2024 00:00:29 +0000 On a warm, late March evening, in fading twilight, a dozen women gather outside the Central College metro station in the heart of the Indian city of Bangalore. Other than two pairs of friends, we are strangers. But introductions are made and soon all is excited anticipation and a will to conquer. As pompous as that sounds, a group of women setting out for a night walk on the streets of Bangalore’s Chickpete area, a crowded, congested traditional business district, is a rare occurrence. In... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3216301/how-night-walks-women-india-are-allowing-groups-tread-fearlessly-streets-most-would-otherwise-avoid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3216301/how-night-walks-women-india-are-allowing-groups-tread-fearlessly-streets-most-would-otherwise-avoid?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Apr 2023 03:15:08 +0000 Global Impact is a weekly curated newsletter featuring a news topic originating in China with a significant macro impact for our newsreaders around the world. Sign up now! Last month saw the world mark International Women’s Day. The United Nations’ general secretary painted a sobering picture in the lead-up to the day, warning that gender equality would not be achieved for another 300 years if the world continues on the same track. Antonio Guterres said women’s rights are being “abused,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3215799/global-impact-300-years-achieve-gender-equality-un-chief-issues-warning-international-womens-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3215799/global-impact-300-years-achieve-gender-equality-un-chief-issues-warning-international-womens-day?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Apr 2023 06:00:16 +0000 Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s public relations team has been hard at work, I’m sure, and kudos to them for a nice touch on his social media and in his speech at the International Women’s Day reception hosted by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and Women’s Commission last week. For those who missed it, images were posted of Lee with the six female principal officials of his administration. The six make up more than 23 per cent of his principal officials. Not bad. For his speech, he shared –... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3213139/needs-women-must-become-permanent-part-policymaking-john-lees-administration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3213139/needs-women-must-become-permanent-part-policymaking-john-lees-administration?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Mar 2023 00:15:10 +0000 The clock is ticking on gender inequality in listed companies in Asia. Stock exchanges in Hong Kong and South Korea recently implemented rules to make single-gender boards of directors a thing of the past, joining exchanges such as the National Stock Exchange of India that have similar rules in effect. However, the region still lags behind on many gender-related market metrics. Calls for greater diversity from policymakers, regulators, shareholders and civil society will only grow louder as... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3212791/how-stock-exchanges-can-help-asia-be-leader-gender-equality-and-diversity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3212791/how-stock-exchanges-can-help-asia-be-leader-gender-equality-and-diversity?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Mar 2023 08:30:07 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3213107/women-our-time-2023?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3213107/women-our-time-2023?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Mar 2023 08:30:00 +0000 Hong Kong-listed firms must strive to get more women onto their boards of directors by implementing policies to encourage gender neutral hiring, offering training to nurture female talent and facilitating networking and mentoring, a panel discussion has heard. Policies requiring external head-hunters to come up with a minimum amount of female representation on a board’s nomination committee can help accelerate the process, said Andrew Weir, regional senior partner of KPMG Hong Kong. “The biggest... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3212849/international-womens-day-hong-kong-firms-must-do-more-recruitment-training-and-mentoring-achieve?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3212849/international-womens-day-hong-kong-firms-must-do-more-recruitment-training-and-mentoring-achieve?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Mar 2023 23:30:11 +0000 Rallies marking International Women’s Day took place around the world on Wednesday after a year in which girls in Afghanistan were banned from education, mass women’s rights protests erupted in Iran and a landmark US abortion ruling was overturned. Demonstrations were held in cities across the globe with more planned in Paris, Beirut, Baghdad, Karachi and Istanbul and many other cities. In Manila, activists calling for equal rights and better wages scuffled with police blocking their protest.... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3212844/international-womens-day-rallies-seek-equal-rights-focus-iran-afghanistan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3212844/international-womens-day-rallies-seek-equal-rights-focus-iran-afghanistan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Mar 2023 12:33:59 +0000 Progress has been made in Japan on improving working conditions for women but more must be done, the country’s chief cabinet secretary said, adding that social attitudes about gender equality were poor. Japan ranked 116 out of 146 countries on gender parity in the World Economic Forum’s global report last year, and efforts to promote women in management and government have stalled. There are only two women cabinet ministers among the 20 members of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s cabinet. In... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3212767/japan-admits-it-must-do-more-ease-womens-struggle-balance-work-and-family?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3212767/japan-admits-it-must-do-more-ease-womens-struggle-balance-work-and-family?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Mar 2023 08:15:08 +0000 In November 2022, Art Basel Hong Kong announced that Angelle Siyang-Le had been promoted to director, and that her initial task was to prepare for the first staging of the contemporary art fair taking place following the city government’s dropping of restrictions on international arrivals. The fair, now in its 10th year, has faced unprecedented challenges since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, when it was scaled down because of social-distancing rules and quarantine requirements for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3212755/call-dad-instead-art-basel-hong-kong-director-societys-expectations-women-soft-power-and-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3212755/call-dad-instead-art-basel-hong-kong-director-societys-expectations-women-soft-power-and-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Mar 2023 05:15:08 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. The theme of International Women’s Day this year, #EmbraceEquity, encourages everyone everywhere to work together to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all women. At PathFinders, we embrace... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3212646/international-womens-day-show-your-appreciation-your-domestic-worker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3212646/international-womens-day-show-your-appreciation-your-domestic-worker?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Mar 2023 03:30:11 +0000 Women are hugely under-represented in high-growth businesses including start-ups across Asia-Pacific, according to a survey by JPMorgan Private Bank in Asia. The study found that companies led by female executives outperformed when it comes to fundraising. Just 848, or 5.7 per cent, of 15,000 private businesses surveyed in sectors such as technology, consumer and healthcare were founded, led or managed by women at the end of 2021. “This is a miserable number, the low single digit number... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3212703/women-miserably-under-represented-asia-pacific-businesses-though-they-excel-fundraising-jpmorgan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3212703/women-miserably-under-represented-asia-pacific-businesses-though-they-excel-fundraising-jpmorgan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Mar 2023 00:00:20 +0000 There is a popular internet meme that rings true for many working women: we expect women to work like they don’t have children and to raise children as if they don’t work. In recent months, a slew of women in power have resigned: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon and YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki. All three have cited to some extent the wish to spend time with their family and concentrate on their personal lives. Taking these reasons at face... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3212653/unequal-opportunities-why-are-top-women-executives-still-expected-choose-between-work-and-family?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3212653/unequal-opportunities-why-are-top-women-executives-still-expected-choose-between-work-and-family?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Mar 2023 23:15:12 +0000 This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Embrace Equity”, and it is one that resonates with Alia Eyres, the chief executive officer of Hong Kong teen pregnancy charity Mother’s Choice. “Equity isn’t about making things equal,” she says. “Equity is about recognising that we don’t all start from the same place. “There are girls and young women in our city who are very vulnerable, even in our own circles, even women who we don’t realise are vulnerable. And I think the key thing for us as... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3212600/hong-kong-teen-pregnancy-charity-mothers-choice-ceo-importance-opening-our-eyes-vulnerable-girls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3212600/hong-kong-teen-pregnancy-charity-mothers-choice-ceo-importance-opening-our-eyes-vulnerable-girls?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Mar 2023 04:45:07 +0000 Women’s rights are being “abused, threatened and violated” around the world and gender equality won’t be achieved for 300 years on the current track, the United Nations secretary general warned. Antonio Guterres told the opening session of the Commission on the Status of Women on Monday – the UN’s premiere global body fighting for gender equality – that progress won over decades is vanishing because “the patriarchy is fighting back”. The UN chief pointed to Afghanistan where “women and girls... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3212605/un-secretary-general-says-womens-rights-under-threat-gender-equality-still-300-years-away?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3212605/un-secretary-general-says-womens-rights-under-threat-gender-equality-still-300-years-away?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Mar 2023 03:07:38 +0000 A teenager in Singapore, who was ridiculed on social media for labelling a S$80 (US$60) Charles & Keith bag a “luxury item” during a TikTok unboxing, has turned the tables on her critics after being named a brand ambassador for the home-grown city fashion chain. Charles & Keith, a Singapore accessories retailer with 600 branches worldwide, on Sunday shared a photo of Zoe Gabriel, 17, modelling a handbag as part of its campaign for International Women’s Day. Gabriel – who goes by ‘zohtaco’ on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3212541/singapore-tiktokker-zoe-gabriel-mocked-over-us60-handbag-now-charles-keith-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3212541/singapore-tiktokker-zoe-gabriel-mocked-over-us60-handbag-now-charles-keith-model?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Mar 2023 10:11:52 +0000 The representation of women on the boards of listed companies in mainland China and Hong Kong continues to rise but remains below that in regional and western peers, according to the latest assessment by US-based financial indices and analysis tools provider MSCI. Among companies domiciled on the mainland, women took up 14.8 per cent of board seats as of October 4 last year, up from 13.8 per cent in 2021 and 13 per cent in 2020, according to a report MSCI published this week, ahead of... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3212226/international-womens-day-more-gender-diversity-hong-kong-mainland-china-firms-boards-still-trail?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3212226/international-womens-day-more-gender-diversity-hong-kong-mainland-china-firms-boards-still-trail?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Mar 2023 03:30:14 +0000 A women’s rights group has abruptly called off what would have been the first authorised rally in Hong Kong in three years, although the reason for the cancellation remained unclear. The Hong Kong Women Workers’ Association planned to hold the demonstration on Sunday, ahead of International Women’s Day on Wednesday, but informed police on Saturday it had called off the event. The group had obtained a letter of no objection from police after seeking permission to hold the rally. While the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3212383/rights-groups-abruptly-calls-hong-kongs-first-authorised-rally-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3212383/rights-groups-abruptly-calls-hong-kongs-first-authorised-rally-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Mar 2023 15:47:30 +0000 “I didn’t like myself five years ago,” Sarah Vee says starkly. “I would never have sat with myself five years ago for dinner, for a drink or even for breakfast.” It’s an odd sentiment for someone who founded an empowering networking initiative whose membership now numbers in the thousands. But for Vee it has always been about the journey rather than the destination. With the Women of Hong Kong, she brings to bear all of the tools and knowledge she has gained from past stints as a nightlife event... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3204396/meet-community-builder-extraordinaire-sarah-vee-founder-women-hong-kong-and-partner-muay-thai-champ?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3204396/meet-community-builder-extraordinaire-sarah-vee-founder-women-hong-kong-and-partner-muay-thai-champ?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Dec 2022 00:00:12 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3172020/trafficking-violence-and-poverty-remain-issues-despite-women-making-great?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3172020/trafficking-violence-and-poverty-remain-issues-despite-women-making-great?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Mar 2022 12:00:00 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3171832/video-who-wang-yaping-chinas-first-female-astronaut-walk-space-teaches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3171832/video-who-wang-yaping-chinas-first-female-astronaut-walk-space-teaches?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Mar 2022 07:07:11 +0000 The theme for International Women’s Day 2022 is “Break the Bias”, which asks us to imagine a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. This is the third story in a series about gender equality in China. Felizia Yao, a 27-year-old single project manager from Shanghai, bought herself a diamond ring earlier this year, which came as a shock to some of her friends. “I bought the diamond because I wanted to, and I have the ability to afford it,” Yao said. “No rules stipulate that you can... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3170540/chinas-she-economy-booms-young-and-financially-independent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3170540/chinas-she-economy-booms-young-and-financially-independent?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Mar 2022 03:00:25 +0000 More women are needed in top leadership and policymaking positions across the Asia-Pacific to help combat the threat posed by climate change, according to a senior United Nations representative for the region. Asia’s women often work on the front line managing and mitigating climate change impacts, said Sarah Knibbs, UN Women’s deputy regional director and officer-in-charge for Asia and the Pacific. Despite their significant contribution, the region still has few female leaders in positions of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3170265/climate-action-needs-more-female-leaders-asia-un-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3170265/climate-action-needs-more-female-leaders-asia-un-women?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Mar 2022 03:00:27 +0000 International Women’s Day this week brought out the usual cascade of complaints from high-achieving professional women about companies’ misogynistic glass ceilings blocking access to senior jobs and equal pay. Their complaints are fully justified, and companies failing to address these concerns need their feet put to the fire. But I am saddened by the self-serving limitations they throw around their cause, and by their failure to pay attention to an even more grievous discrimination challenge –... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3169964/why-ageism-workplace-bigger-obstacle-women-glass-ceilings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3169964/why-ageism-workplace-bigger-obstacle-women-glass-ceilings?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Mar 2022 01:15:17 +0000