March 8th is the day that celebrates everything from respect, appreciation and love towards women, to women’s economic, political and social achievements.

Today is International Women’s Day, an occasion celebrated more in Europe and Asia than in the U.S. where it remains a decidedly under-observed holiday. At The Story Exchange, we think it’s worth taking time today to reflect on the progress we have made on the path to women’s rights and equality and to think hard about how we continue moving forward. [pullquote]Watch our video to find out all the reasons WHY we need more women to feel empowered and achieve economic independence.[/pullquote]

Women are still struggling with some fundamentals. It is estimated that if women’s wages were raised to the same level as men’s, America’s GDP would be nine percent higher; the Euro-zone’s would be 13 percent higher, and Japan’s would be boosted by 16 percent. Yet a new study out this month shows that wage gap between men and women is actually getting wider. According to the Institute of Women’s Policy Research, in 2012 women earned 80.9 percent of what men earned weekly. In terms of annual earnings, women fell behind even further, earning only 77 percent of men’s wages.

We started The Story Exchange to help close this gap and to inspire women to start their own businesses, to take charge of their economic lives – especially their income.

By helping women earn more, we’re improving our communities. Research shows that women are more likely to share their gains in education, health, and social issues. Women are simply more likely to work for, buy for, and share their economic and noneconomic rewards with other people.

Watch our video to find out all the reasons WHY we need more women to feel empowered and achieve economic independence.