RAZAFIMAHEFA Mialy, the finance and administrative manager for a water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) project in Madagascar, has worked at MCD Global Health since 2002 and sees International Women’s Day as a reminder to always respect women’s voices and ideas no matter the setting or location. She shares more about what this day means to her:

Women sometimes suffer from equity problems in society, especially in the professional world, which can be demotivating. I have witnessed women not being heard when they express their ideas in various areas, including school and politics. In these modern times, some men still think that women's only role is taking care of the home; however, to prove that women have the same rights as men, I encourage women to express themselves without fear and show the world that women are just as capable as men in all areas; they just need to take charge.

At MCD, we have codes of conduct on equity, and equality is part of those codes. This code is part of the employment contract, which automatically creates visibility and positive impacts for women, and the diversity of MCD staff members around the world speaks for itself. At MCD, women and men hold important positions on the same footing.

Everyone is equal, whether male or female, and it's time to respect each other and stop thinking that women are inferior to men; both are endowed with the same abilities and can do well no matter what area they work in.

I am proud to be a woman and part of MCD where equity exists and is respected by everyone.