On International Women’s Day, the Co-operative Party Women’s Network proudly joins the global community in celebrating the achievements of women and reaffirming our commitment to gender equality.

The focus this year will be on the need to Accelerate Action and will emphasise the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality. It calls for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres.

As Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, Chair of the Co-operative Party Women’s Steering Group, said: “The co-operative movement has always been about fairness and that means making sure women’s voices aren’t just heard, but are truly listened to and acted upon. Whether in politics, the workplace or our communities, we need decisive steps, not just words, to break down barriers and create real change.

“There is lots to celebrate on this International Women’s Day, but there is a long way to go until every woman has the opportunity to thrive. At the current rate, we will not achieve full gender parity until 2158. We cannot accept such a timeline – future generations of women deserve better.

“Equality isn’t an ideal; it’s a necessity and it’s time we accelerate our actions to achieve it.”

The co-operative movement has a long and noble history of gender equality from its earliest days. The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers allowed women members the vote long before the introduction of universal suffrage.

Established in 1883, the Co-operative Women’s Guild fought for economic and political equality for women amongst an increasingly female factory workforce. They campaigned for maternity rights and supported Marie Stopes’ work on family planning. They harnessed the “basket power” of women who were largely responsible for household spending decisions and were increasingly choosing to shop in the Co-op, where they could make the most of their “divi”.

The Shipley Society opened up the first ever co-operative maternity care centre in 1920 – a radical move in pre-NHS years.

This year, we celebrate the election of 41 Labour & Cooperative MPs, of whom 20 are women. They include the Equalities Minister, Seema Malhotra MP, working at the heart of government to ensure that the equalities agenda is embedded across all government departments.

These MPs join Co-operators at every level of political power, including 11 MSPs, of whom 5 are women; 16 Welsh MSs, of whom 8 are women; 8 Metro Mayors, of whom 3 are women, 15 Police & Crime Commissioners of whom 9 are women, and of course, 1000s of Co-operative women councillors across the country. We were also proud to run the Chris Herries Programme to train the next generation of women leaders.

As we celebrate this important day, we call on individuals, businesses, and policymakers to take meaningful action to accelerate women’s rights. Whether through workplace equality, educational opportunities, or policy advocacy, every effort counts in building a more equitable future.

We encourage everyone to participate in local and global IWD events, uplift the women in their lives, and continue the conversation on gender equality beyond 8 March. Together, we can create a world where every woman and girl can thrive.