Celebrating International Women’s Day 2026: Reflections from Alumni

13 March 2026

Annie Mirza

BA Comparative Literature and Linguistics, 2013

Annie is a content strategist, editor and writer. She works across industries with global brands to build stories and rekindle relationships with customers and communities through words and visuals.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

International Women’s Day is a reminder to me in two ways. First, it's a moment of recognition. Women today are being seen and celebrated in ways they wouldn't have even a generation ago - for their contributions, their choices and their success. And despite this progress, women are still constantly under scrutiny, which is why IWD is such a crucial reminder that women matter, and so do our contributions to everything we're part of. We need women in all spaces because women are half of society.

Second, it reminds me that women and girls across the world are struggling with different things and living different realities. In some places, women have autonomy and space to make individual decisions about their lives. In other places, millions of women and girls suffer continuously under humanitarian crises, war and systems set out to strip away their humanity.

As someone with ancestry across South and Western Asia, and born and raised in Britain, it's bittersweet. IWD highlights the shared experiences of girlhood and the very real differences in how we grow up and live. It's a reminder to embrace the power of choice - whether that's wearing a hijab, starting a business, building a career, travelling solo, or raising a family at home. But it's laced with the reality that for so many women and girls, choice is a luxury or a daydream. To me, IWD means all women. It's not a day held for one kind of woman alone, but all of us - across our differences, bound together as one.

What does this year's theme "Give to Gain" mean to you?

It serves as a strong reminder that giving isn’t loss. Sometimes it can feel like by giving we lose something, because it often does feel like something's been taken away from us: whether that's money for a donation, or time for a meeting, or skills for a cause. But we get a lot more back from it than we lose and need to think of it as an exchange. We gain more community and improve people's lives by the smallest things we give. Whether that's professionally, with our family and friends or to humanitarian causes. Supporting women and girls to survive and thrive by giving brings us a stronger, brighter future that benefits societies for generations.

Can you share a moment when someone’s mentorship or advocacy made a difference to you?

If I’m being honest, I can’t think of one clear moment where someone’s advocacy changed things for me. I’ve often been the kind of person who simply did what I wanted and dealt with the consequences after. But I think that in itself came from the confidence that was nurtured in me early on. I was shaped less by people speaking for me, and more by my parents, family, teachers, friends and relatives who made me feel I didn't have to ask permission to take up space.

Festina Nushi

BSc Business Management, 2023

Festina is part of the Graduate Talent Program in Technology at UBS Global.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

International Women’s Day is meaningful to me as it creates space to pause and reflect on the strong female figures who have shaped my life and career. It’s an opportunity to recognise and appreciate the women around me, while also drawing inspiration from positive female role models both within and outside of work. For me, a key expression of that appreciation is through gifting flowers to celebrate the women closest to me.

What does this year's theme "Give to Gain" mean to you?

This year’s theme resonates with me as it encourages me to give back to the female community around me. For me, this means uplifting women in whatever way I can, either through offering support, sharing opportunities and advocating when it matters. Most importantly, it’s about giving back unconditionally to a community that has supported and empowered me throughout both my professional and personal journey.

Can you share a moment when someone’s mentorship or advocacy made a difference to you?

My first line manager was a woman, and that experience strongly shaped my expectations of what a healthy manager-employee relationship should look like. She empowered me in my role and created a safe space for me to speak up when something wasn’t working. That foundation has stayed with me, and it has helped me confidently set boundaries and articulate what good leadership looks like with subsequent managers.

What is one thing you actively give to support other women?

I actively give support by connecting women within my network. When I meet someone inspiring or encounter a strong female leader at work, I make a point of sharing that connection with others who could benefit - helping to open doors, expand networks and create opportunities.

Rumi Petrova

MSc Marketing, 2018

Rumi is a Global Marketing Operations Lead at the Financial Times.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

International Women’s Day has always been important to me because I grew up celebrating it. In my home country, it was a big occasion, but it was also personal because I was surrounded by strong women from a very young age. The women in my family raised me and gave me great examples of resilience and ambition. As I grew up, I continued to be inspired by women in different stages of my life. I remember my first teacher at school, my maths teacher in high school, and some incredible professors at university who had a big impact on me. Later in my career, I was lucky to build a network of women in the professional world as well. I have had mentors, colleagues, and friends who supported me, gave advice, and helped me grow. For me, International Women’s Day is really about celebrating those women and recognising the role they play in helping each other move forward.

What does this year's theme "Give to Gain" mean to you?

To me, "Give to Gain" reflects the importance of sharing what we learn with others. Throughout my career, I have been lucky to have mentors who took the time to guide me and give me advice. Sometimes it was small things like helping me express my ideas more clearly, speak up in meetings, or feel more confident about sharing my perspective. Those moments might seem small, but they can have a huge impact, especially early in your career. They shape how you see yourself and how comfortable you feel contributing. I strongly believe that when we share our experiences and support others, we are strengthening the community around us. Sharing knowledge and supporting others doesn’t diminish your success, it multiplies it.

Can you share a moment when someone's mentorship or advocacy made a difference to you?

Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have mentors who gave me advice at the right moments. One of the most valuable things they helped me with was learning how to communicate with confidence. Early in your career, it can sometimes feel intimidating to speak up, share ideas, or challenge things. Having someone encourage you to contribute and trust your own perspective can make a huge difference. That kind of support helped me grow both professionally and personally. It gave me the confidence to express my ideas more clearly and take more ownership of my work. It also shaped how I approach leadership today and how I try to support the people I work with.

What is one thing you actively give to support other women?

One thing I always try to give is confidence. Whether I am mentoring someone or managing people in my team, I try to share the lessons I have learned and help others recognise their strengths. Today, I manage an international team, and I try to incorporate mentorship into how I lead. I encourage people to speak up, share their ideas, and make sure their work gets recognised. One of the most rewarding parts of leadership is seeing someone grow in confidence or develop new skills. When someone I have mentored or managed tells me they feel more confident or capable, it is incredibly fulfilling. Supporting others in that way creates a ripple effect because when people feel empowered, they often go on to support others as well.

Eve Bolt

BA English, 2018

Eve has worked across publishing, and as a British Sign Language Support Worker. She currently works in healthcare regulation and her first book is soon to be published.

What does International Women's Day mean to you?

International Women's Day is an opportunity to celebrate and confront the realities of womanhood around the world, and to remember the dreams that can come true with continued effort and imagination. Tireless, inspiring work has led to many victories for equality and equity globally. Still, women face significant imbalance and vulnerability today, not least in terms of physical and financial security. We all own the responsibility to change this.

Across borders, women share many similar experiences and feelings, be they biological or sociological. Tragically, most women can tell at least one personal story of gender-based pain. We must continue to tell the truth about the harm done to women whilst acknowledging the fatigue and impact from seeing women only framed by their suffering. Daily, women strive to undo what can feel like an impossible knot; to smile and go the extra mile under this weight.

IWD also celebrates blessings: friendships, creativity, humour, resilience and transformation. It means protecting and nourishing bonds and giving thanks to the women in our lives: friends, family, public figures, allies, and those who could effect positive change with a helping hand. It means giving visibility to the other powerful and diverse elements of identity which twine with womanhood, including race, culture, class, age, different-ability, sexuality, neurodivergence and faith.

What does this year's theme "Give to Gain" mean to you?

This year's theme invites us to act; it prompts us to see how and whether our contributions can benefit everyone, including ourselves, in many spheres of life. On a small scale, there’s plenty we can do for and with women that can have an ongoing ripple effect, including:

• Calling out sexist language both at work, at home, and in public spaces if safe to do so
• Offering to mentor women in their education and careers if you have wisdom to share
• Choosing to shop from women-owned businesses
• Checking whether caregiving responsibilities are fair within your family
• Creating safe spaces for women
• Being open to conversations around womanhood, including with people whose ideologies differ
• Publicly sharing women’s successes
• Educating younger generations about women’s lived experiences
• Investigating how to be an ally, including lobbying for legislative changes

Larger-scale actions include:

• Supporting charities that protect women’s safety, rights, education and career opportunities
• Participating in campaigns against gender-based violence, period poverty, pay gaps and barriers to education and healthcare
• Championing women’s leadership in workplaces
• Checking public infrastructure is compassionate toward women, e.g., breastfeeding-friendly spaces

We choose where we send our energy and power. I’d like to leave you with lyrics from one of the women who inspire me, an artist whose songs speak volumes about women’s experiences: “Here I don’t have to be kind, extraordinary, normal all at the same time…” Florence + The Machine, Everybody Scream