March 8th 

International Women’s Day falls on March 8th each year. The day has been observed for over 100 years and is now celebrated around the world with events large and small taking place all over Ireland.

Over 100 Years

The earliest Woman’s Day event was held in New York on February 28, 1909, and was organised by the Socialist Party of America. Only a year later, at the International Women’s Conference in Denmark, socialist representatives proposed that there be an International Women’s Day, inspired by the events in New York. The day was celebrated for the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland in March 1911 with many countries following this lead over the next 100 years.

International Women’s Day 2018

International Women’s Day seeks to celebrate women’s achievements, as well as act as a catalyst for change when it comes to gender equality. The day brings together government, women’s organisations, businesses, charities and communities to remind and celebrate the value of women to the social, economic and environmental development of our world.

Press for Progress

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is #PressforProgress. This is a strong call to motivate and unite friends, colleagues and communities to think, act and be gender inclusive in all we do.

Recycle IT and Gender Inclusion

Recycle IT is a part funded employment initiative, a social enterprise and community electrical recycler. A lot of the work we do involves heavy lifting and it’s not the cleanest but that does not stop us involving women and men in roles across the organisation.

Our General Manager, Una Lavelle has been with the organisation since 2007,  We have three female colleagues in roles across finance and administration and a fourth works as a general operative recycling electronic equipment. Over the last two years the number of women employed has increased from 15% to 25% of our workforce.

Jane Ebbe has been part of the Recycle IT team since April 2017 and has worked alongside male colleagues to complete many if not all of the same tasks. Jane is pictured above about to recycle a computer which is part of all our general operatives roles.

Over the coming weeks Jane will commence training as a forklift driver which until now has been task solely performed by male counterparts. Jane says ” the only real difference in her role and that of a male colleague is strength in lifting and moving heavier items and this have been overcome with the use of lifting equipment and a little team work”. Jane views Recycle IT as a safe place where the team are very understanding and inclusive of each others needs.

The future 

Recycle IT were possible try to encourage younger girls to consider “Green Business and Recycling” as a career path. Recycle IT visit a number of schools each year to share knowledge on the value of recycling to society, our economy and the environment. This message is shared equally amongst girls and boys. We also endeavour to work gender inclusively with third level students from at home and aboard to promote learning and share know-how.

We recently hosted a site visit from 21  Transition Year students  many of whom are part of the ‘Green Schools’ committee at Loreto Secondary School, Kilkenny. The students showed a keen interest in our work and hopefully left with increased knowledge and a message, that a careers in recycling, green business or supporting a message of environmental change can be progressed equally by all genders.

Events 

In early March you will find a number events taking place to celebrate International Women’s Day. To view some of these events please click here

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT is an award-winning not for profit social enterprise providing a collection and drop off service for all types of waste electrical, electronic and metal items. Over the last 18 month Recycle IT offered drop off and collection services to 140,000 homes and organisations across Dublin and surrounding areas collecting a range of WEEE which includes thousands of computers, cables, monitors, microwaves and TV’s.

This community collection service is provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland. Recycle IT are supported by Pobal, South Dublin County Council and authorized by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow.