It’s 2020. We’re in the future that all the sci-fi films of the past predicted we’d have flying cars and hover-boards. Yet in all the fanciful visions of the future imagined by the past, there seems to be a glaring omission: Gender Equality.

Is that because the idea was more ludicrous than flying cars or simply not seen as important in a futuristic world?

We are now living in the future that’s been portrayed in film and print for decades. But of all the unsavoury things from the past that have been left in the past, inequality of the sexes is not one of them.

Whilst women achieved universal suffrage in 1928, if can feel that very little has changed in terms of equality across employment, politics, media, the arts… the list goes on

A report by Sanmeet Kaur for The Fawcett Society (fawcettsociety.org.uk) explored the gender balance in different sectors; politics, civil service, the Law, business and media and arts. It  reveals ‘stark inequalities’ between the genders and found ‘Under representation is consistent and persistent across sectors.’ At the same time highlighting that ‘The absence of women is not of their making. Women continue to face a combination of discrimination, harassment and structural barriers which keep them out of the top of the institutions that govern our public, political and economic life.’

Whilst there has been promising progress in some areas, without the  active pursuit of equality this would stagnate. Comments  such  as ‘Maybe men are just better, that’s why they have the top jobs’, ‘What do women really know about ………..?’, ‘Women just don’t have the physical strength to do those jobs’ are unhelpful and untrue  And yet we’re all still subjected to them…

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is Each for Equal. The idea behind this, is that collectively we can help to create a gender equal world. ‘Equality is not a women’s issue, it’s a business issue. Gender equality is essential for economies and communities to thrive. A gender equal world can be healthier, wealthier and more harmonious – so what’s not great about that? The race is on for the gender equal boardroom, a gender equal government, gender equal media coverage, gender equal workplaces, gender equal sports coverage, more gender equality in health and wealth … so let’s make it happen. Let’s be #EachforEqual.’ (Internationalwomensday.com)