2018 marks the 100th anniversary of Women winning the right to vote. With every suffragette, is a girl or woman who is part of her legacy. With every year that passes, more and more females from across the globe are achieving success in all sectors and from all walks of life because of the dedication, passion and commitment of many women 100 years ago who wanted change.
Innovators and heroines such as Sophia Duleep Singh and Emmeline Pankhurst cemented their places in history as they fought for the equal rights of women, which throughout the 20th century sparked further revolution as women began to have more choice and freedom over their lives. There is no doubt that they did for us in the past has, 100 years on, helped to create a positive present and future for us.
The impact of the suffragette movement is so profound as it connects to woman’s rights movements which has a multiplier effect on the lives of women at home and at work. This includes the right to divorce, access to contraception and sexual freedom and equal pay in the workplace. Today, over 70% of women aged between the ages of 16-64, are in work compared to just one tenth of married women in the 1930s. There are now female politicians, doctors, police officers and lawyers who are all contributing to much a more positive society. They also continue to excel in education, often out performing boys in a number of subjects.
At the turn of the 21st century, there has been a growing influence of women in businesses, both as entrepreneurs and members of the board. As their presence continues to grow businesses have been enjoying the benefits of much fresher and innovative marketing and advertising approaches. This would never have happened if it wasn’t for the suffragettes who disrupted the status quo and brought about change for women to achieve a greater role in society for what had been a long and established patriarchal establishment.
The issues these women battled against are exactly what brand strategy experts Sterling Media echoes today. The company was founded by Teji Singh and now headed by Natasha Mudhar, who both defied expectations as strong Asian women working in the Global communications sector.
Business consultant Sterling Media works with major global organisations like the UN and grassroots local champions as well as convening various sectors – including government, corporate, media, celebrity and civil society – to make an impact on the ground. Amongst their best examples of this was the global launch of the Spice Girls’ endorsed short film promoting girls and women rights #WhatIReallyReallyWant, which broke the internet with over 150million views in a matter of a few days.
The issues these women battled against are exactly what business consultant and global communications experts at Sterling Media echoes today. The brand strategy agency was founded by Teji Singh and now headed by Natasha Mudhar, who both defied expectations as strong Asian women working in the communications sector.
Sterling Media works as a business consultant with major global organisations like the UN and grassroots local champions as well as convening various sectors – including government, corporate, media, celebrity and civil society – to make an impact on the ground. Amongst their best examples of this was the global communications launch of the Spice Girls’ endorsed short film promoting girls and women rights #WhatIReallyReallyWant, which broke the internet with over 150million views in a matter of a few days.
Granted, there is still a lot of work to be done as many girls and women are not given the same rights as men. Only recently, women in Saudi Arabia were allowed to drive and many women are still not being paid the same as men in most countries, but with the likes of Angela Merkel being one of the most powerful leaders in the world, and Saudi-Arabia’s best known film maker being nominated for an Oscar, it is clear that the future is bright. We need to establish more positive role models – both male and female – so that young people can follow in their footsteps and can help bring about the next wave of change. Women are already independent and strong enough to face the world, not all of them are given that opportunity to show it. It is female-led brand strategy and global advertising agencies like Sterling Media that are not afraid to face these issues head on, and from what they have shown so far, will no doubt become the spearhead for women’s rights and equality movements across the globe.