WOW announces programme of festivals and events addressing gender inequality in 2021

The Women of the World Festival (WOW) has announced its programme of festivals and events addressing gender inequality in 2021.

From 1 March, WOW events will be held worldwide, from the UK to Australia and from Bangladesh to New York.

The flagship UK festival, usually held at London’s Southbank Centre, will go online again this year with events running online daily from 1-21 March.

Recognising recent global events, 2021’s WOW UK programme will take a frank look at new obstacles women, girls and non-binary people now face; discussing creative solutions for change whilst celebrating amazing stories of resistance and progress.

This year’s opening session will features voices from across the globe to highlight the need for us to work together to build a more inclusive and sustainable post pandemic world, with the programme consisting of a series of In Conversations exploring themes such as sex during lockdown, radical childcare and gender equality in the tech industries.

Highlights include: intersectionality pioneer Kimberlé Crenshaw on the Black Lives Matter movement and her #SayHerName campaign; writers Arundhati Roy and V (formerly Eve Ensler) join forces to reflect on the meaning of freedom in a world of growing authoritarianism and on the role of creativity and alternative imaginations; and Ruby Wax on mental health and how recent developments in technology, education, business are turning our world into a better place.

There will be an interactive digital workshop programme as part of this year’s UK Festival for those who want to actively take part. Key workshops include Performance Artist, Musician and Screenwriter Bryony Kimmings on how to find daily joy in creativity; Speakers Corner Collective’s I Am Perfect As Me: Gratitude Workshop led by women but created for everyone; and Selina Flavius, founder and author of Black Girl Finance, will present her practical steps for resetting your ‘Money Mindset’ for financial success in 2021.

As part of the three week festival, WOW will create discussion groups for those wanting to participate in conversations around specific subjects such as radical childcare and intersectionality, and will also feature WOW Sounds, a series of performances from musical artists who are also known for their activism from around the globe.

Jude Kelly, Founder and Director of The WOW Foundation says: “Throughout 2021, WOW is bringing together courageous women and girls from across the globe who are driven by a desire to change the world. These brilliant activists will join WOW Festivals around the world in groundbreaking conversations, workshops and projects; focusing on gender, racial and social inequality, all of which have been exacerbated in the past 12 months.

“We can already see that women and girls have been the hardest hit by COVID-19 finding themselves in ever more precarious positions, especially those already marginalised. With cases of domestic abuse rising and access to education diminishing, the impact of the pandemic is being felt in both domestic spaces and the labour markets with devastating social and economic consequences.

“COVID-19 looks as if it could set gender equality and women’s rights back a staggering 25 years, without immediate and direct action. We must act now to build a post pandemic world which is inclusive, supportive and where the UN’s goal of gender equality by 2030 can be achieved.”

For more information and the full WOW Festival 2021 programme, please click here.