International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated worldwide on March 8 every year, to celebrate the women of the world while trying to aid them in breaking the glass ceiling one step at a time. Women and Men worldwide continue to strive for a world where women are included equally to men in all walks of life.

This year’s IWD theme is “Inspire Inclusion”, which involves women in everything, giving them equal opportunities and allowing them chances to choose what they want to do and where. It is about overcoming the barriers to entry in many fields and changing the mindset of those who prevent women from doing so.

Sui Southern Gas Company arranged a remarkable event that featured some of the most notable speakers from multiple facets of life and varied sectors. Mr. Salman A. Siddiqui, Head of Corporate Communication, SSGC welcomed the esteemed guests to the event and presented a beautifully composed poem to mark the day, sharing his thoughts on inspiring inclusion for women across the world. The guests included Dr. S. A. Rab, CEO, of Greenstar Marketing, Ms. Raheela Baqai, Director Comms, PR and Events, Oxford University Press, Dr. Shehla Najib Sidiki, Dean, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Ziauddin Hospital and Barrister Maham Durrani, Sr. Specialist Gender and Social Inclusion, Sindh Social Protection Authority, Government of Sindh. These notable veterans from the field participated in a panel discussion, moderated by Syed Imran Ahmed, SSGC’s Acting Dy. General Manager, Corporate Communication.

The discussion focused on overcoming the obstacles related to women’s inclusion in the workforce and highlighted the steps that needed to be taken by both the old and new, the experts and novices, men and women, to ensure that a future can be developed where men and women stood shoulder to shoulder and were treated as equals in all walks of life. In particular, the efforts required to create an environment that leads to “inspire inclusion” for women in the workforce were discussed, and a pledge was taken that assured all present that those at the event will try their best to make that world where women are provided equal opportunities a reality.

Salman Siddiqui along with Syed Imran Ahmed and SSGC’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Zahid A. Faheem presented mementos, bouquets and corporate gifts respectively to the guests that were especially crafted keeping in mind the theme of the event.