International Women’s Day will be more than a celebration of the achievements of women in Niagara and around the world.

It also comes almost a full year after the start of the global pandemic and its disproportionate impact on women, while helping illustrate inequities that still exist.

“The whole world has changed since we gathered together for International Women’s Day last year,” said Julie Rorison, who chairs the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce Women in Niagara advisory council.

The pandemic, she said, “has really highlighted a lot of the vulnerabilities, the challenges and inequalities that women still face, at home and in the economy an in terms of opportunities and earning potential and all measures of equity.”