Today, I was asked: "What does International Women’s Day mean to you?"

And here’s what I responded:

We shouldn’t need to remind ourselves of the critical roles of women on International Women’s Day but while we do, I welcome this opportunity to celebrate all women in this world, and their multiple roles in families, communities, economies – in co-creation with all genders. Most importantly, International Women’s Day is an opportunity to rekindle critical conversations around

• Gender equity and all related equal rights, such as same compensation for same work, equal rights in the family and household, equal access to education and opportunities, professional and political roles,… (all of which are really just basic human rights)

• Gender-based violence and harassment, and effective measures to end these violations, including relevant education of all, increasing respect for women in all their roles

• And other gender-related challenges…

…and to come up with effective action steps to resolve these challenges and make real progress.

We have a long way to go, so International Women’s Day provides an opportunity to focus in on some of these topics, bring men into the conversation and make us all see just how much equal rights for all genders will not only benefit the women themselves, but their families, their communities, the organizations they work in, their societies, their countries.

A 2019 analysis by Boston Consulting Group (BCG; also my ex-employer) shows that if we could close the entrepreneurial gender gap alone, “global GDP could rise by approximate 3% to 6%, boosting the global economy by $2.5 trillion to $5 trillion.” Other 2019 studies suggest that if women were to gain economic parity by 2025, the global GDP would increase by up to $28 trillion. How is that for more wealth for all? And what would more wealth for all do for more peace?

Anyone who has a need to exert power over others and to keep others, including women, to control through violence, to suppress or combat others, is weak. Power over others is never real power. The only real power is inner power.

What if we humans could stop feeling threatened by others’ differences (because we learn how to self-empower and to see the unique brilliance in everyone) and recognize the enormous richness of universal abundance in them? What if we could see the tremendous gift that diversity is? What if we could respect each other with all our beautiful, rich differences, whether it’s gender, race, nationality, religion (or non-religious spirituality) or language? What if we could understand that we are all connected? What could that do for peace on this planet?

I wouldn’t be able to do the work I do and find daily inspiration for it if I didn’t have trust… trust that humans are evolving and waking up to a higher consciousness. That’s when we no longer will need an International Women’s Day. Because it will be second nature treat all genders with the respect they deserve, including women; the respect that is the birthright of all human beings.

In the meantime, I try to make the best of IWD: I share my wisdom and knowledge as a speaker at women’s events, I attend events to learn from, support and network with other women as well as male allies in these efforts. This year, many organizations celebrate IWD on March 6 (which happens to be my birthday) or March 9, given that March 8 falls on a Sunday. So I’ll have even more reason to celebrate on my special day: I CELEBRATE WOMEN. Without them, not one human being would be here right now.