On the evening of March 7th, something special took place at Saline34. A vibrant and diverse group came together for a night of connection, learning, and fun. The cozy venue was filled with conversations, laughter, and the delightful aroma of snacks and refreshments, setting the tone for an engaging and meaningful evening.
As everyone got to know one another, the sense of community quickly grew. Then, the main event of the night began: Quiz Night – International Women’s Day. We split into teams and dove into a series of questions designed not only to challenge our knowledge but also to spark reflection and discussion. The quiz focused on women’s rights and gender equality, highlighting lesser-known facts that left many of us surprised, inspired, and at times, outraged. The team with the highest score walked away with a well-earned prize, but truly, everyone gained something valuable.
Here are some eye-opening insights we learned during the quiz:
- Leadership Gap
As of mid-2024, 113 countries have never had a female head of state or government. This staggering number highlights that while there has been progress in women’s political representation, a significant portion of the world has yet to witness female leadership at the highest level. The gender imbalance in global leadership continues to be a reminder of deep-rooted systemic barriers.
- Legal Inequality in Daily Life
A shocking 178 countries still have laws that restrict women’s ability to work, travel, or manage property without male approval. In 86 countries, women face limitations on the jobs they can do. In 18 countries, a husband can legally stop his wife from working. And in dozens of others, travel or passport application rights are unequal. These legal barriers hinder women’s autonomy and economic independence across the globe.
- Equal Pay: A Distant Reality
Despite decades of advocacy, fewer than 10 countries currently enforce equal pay laws effectively. Though many have legislation on the books, weak enforcement, lack of transparency, and cultural barriers continue to fuel the global gender pay gap—where women still earn roughly 20% less than men on average. Countries like Iceland and New Zealand lead by example, but for most of the world, the road to wage equality is still long.
- Domestic Violence: A Global Crisis
Disturbingly, around 46 countries still lack any laws against domestic violence. In places where such laws exist, they’re often poorly enforced due to weak judicial systems or harmful social norms. Many women remain unprotected from abuse within their own homes—one of the most dangerous places for them in many parts of the world.
- Historical Wins for Women
We also celebrated some key milestones:
- New Zealand was the first country to grant women the right to vote, back in 1893. This was thanks to the tireless work of suffragist Kate Sheppard, who led a petition of over 30,000 signatures.
- Australia passed the first equal pay law in 1942, though initially, it only applied to women in wartime industries. It wasn’t until 1972 that broader equal pay legislation was implemented.
As the night came to a close, it was clear that our quiz had sparked more than just friendly competition—it opened the door for thoughtful conversations about gender equality, privilege, and the work still to be done.
Thank you to everyone who joined us at Saline34 for this meaningful event. Through connection and curiosity, we took a small but powerful step toward understanding and advocating for a fairer world.
The project has been co-funded under the Interred Central Europe program of the European Union through the project “TASK4ISI” – Transnational Action to advance SKills and competences FOR Inclusive entrepreneurship and Social Innovation.
