03/08/2026
Happy International Women's Day! The theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls” calls for action to "dismantle all barriers to equal justice."��Every year we feature alumnae that have made their mark with their contributions for their work in our School and our industry. We asked Zehra Abdulla, Founder & Lead Planner Arabesqué Wedding & Events to share with us a few words reflecting on this year's IWD theme. .
“As an entrepreneur who started off as a girl with a dream, the IWD 2026 theme calling for rights, justice, and action for women and girls everywhere is not an abstract ideal, but a breathing benchmark of where we need to be.
True empowerment is not just the right to dream, but the justice of being taken seriously regardless of gender or where we come from. It’s a strong vision, and one we can only build when we remove our biases towards one another and operate knowing that the life we live is large enough for us all to thrive in.” ~ Zehra Abdulla
“While we can preach self-advocacy and empowerment to individual women and girls, it is vital also for employers and authority figures to lead the way.
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We have inherited a rigged system, and the first step in bridging even the biggest gaps of inequality is accepting that. With that knowledge will subsequently come the vital step of identification: primarily, where each organization is truly lacking.
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Some of the most opportune areas to foster equality are practicing what we preach in policies, creating fair spaces in the cerebral domain, and supporting efficient work-life balance for team members. These changes require investment, yet where some organizations prioritise output over team support, they consequently drive out talent simply because of their lived realities as women. Now is the time for an employee-first approach, where we can provide education, training, mentorship, and support systems.
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When women grow, businesses and communities grow with them. Bridging the gap for equal rights isn’t about perfection. It’s about intentional action, and the drive to keep going until this reality is applicable to all of us.” ~ Zehra Abdulla