Whilst women make most of the healthcare decisions for their families, research shows that this does not translate into taking control of their own health.
The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day may be #BreakTheBias, but there is a reason why I have taken a ‘stripped back’ approach to educating and activating our community this month.
Amongst a sea of webinars, breakfasts and invited events, often featuring the same handful of entities or known faces, with my agency TishTash, I wanted to specifically create something that was truly inclusive for everyone – and that meant going back to basics. I’m sure I don’t need to share commentary on a barrage of meaningless marketing focused on discounts, ‘ladies nights’ and other ‘pink things’ dressed up as ‘empowerment’.
It’s amazing to see so much chatter around equality and inclusion for women in the workplace, and of course, as a wholly female run business we famously advocate this unapologetically. But it goes deeper than that for us now. We practice this daily – we recognise the importance of any conversation around true female empowerment. It is necessary and we will continue to permanently amplify the cause until we feel that we can do no more.
Talk of ‘self-care’ is fashionable, yet necessarily – and of course, as an agency within the wellness niche – we trade upon these messages of self-care – but the fact stands – to be able to truly empower yourself through testing times, a busy lifestyle and be a great role model for others, we need to be ‘fit’ for the job.
When women take control of their own health, past, present and future, this leads to a better world. Stronger, both mentally and physically, means that a woman has the confidence to go about their work and family life better. Better equipped for decision making, for educating those around them, and amplifying the message to colleagues, management and more.
Women’s health matters
Operating on ‘empty’ is never a healthy option for women, whatever their age – fitness, nutrition, mental health care, and importantly, heart health alongside recognition of hormonal changes, fertility and obstetrics and signs and symptoms of Cancer and other diseases affect us all – whatever our shape, size, social status or job.
Healthier women are greater for community good – better employees and leaders alongside. Knowing how to recognise, how to prevent and how to deal with conditions or potential health pitfalls takes away worry, stigma and is important in making decisions, not only for their own bodies, but for everybody around them, without fear or judgement.
Accessibility is key too and initiatives such as the one day event we are hosting on March 19th, #HealthLove at Times Square Center in Dubai – should specifically be free to attend and open to everyone. For us, this is the meaning of International Women’s Day. Creating sustainable economies, business and communities can only be achieved when every person has a seat at a table and we want to encourage this from the ground up this year.
Women empowerment
Talks, screenings, education, classes and tastings will all have a place at #HealthLove and we encourage literally ‘everyone with a body’ to attend and empower themselves to look after themselves first and foremost. Prevention is always better than cure, but essentially it’s creating a message of education and empowerment around the very basis of what makes us ‘fit’ to hold our places in the world, as employees, care-givers, parents and for ourselves, before we tackle any other issues that modern life throws at us.
This is why we chose #HealthLove as our message this month, and hope that via education and accessibility to all we can make a meaningful difference amongst a sea of noise this International Women’s Day.
Natasha Hatherall-Shawe, founder and CEO of TishTash Marketing and PR@TishTashTalks.
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