Every day, women are helping women advance human rights, tackle climate change, drive economic growth, secure nourishing and sustainable food, and prioritize health, all around the world. As this Women’s History Month comes to a close, we carry the inspiration of their accomplishments forward throughout the year.

While we applaud women supporting women, advancing gender equity is not just a “women’s issue.” To accelerate progress, men and non-binary people must be equal partners in driving equity at an individual level. Doing so benefits us all.

As we heard from distinguished women leaders who met at The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center last year, global gender equity policies are needed to speed up the estimated 132 years it will take for women to have the same rights as men worldwide.

But speaking with our staff, partners, and grantees, this month, we’ve learned that it’s possible for individuals to make a significant impact in their communities day-to-day. How? Here are five things we can all do better to advance gender equity:

  1. Speak up against inequality.
  2. Trust those with lived experiences.
  3. Make sure that women have access to the supports that they need.
  4. Recognize the contributions women around you have made.
  5. Address the unique ways that issues affect women because of their gender.

We learned this March at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women that online gender-based violence is harming women and keeping them away from high-level government positions. We can all play a role in creating conditions that enable women to thrive and creating a safer environment for the women and girls around us.

Read the full article about gender equity by Deepali Khanna, Eileen O'Connor, Elizabeth Yee, Natalye Paquin, and Olivia Leland  at The Rockefeller Foundation.