It's been a transformative century and counting since the first Women’s Day was observed in 1909. Mankind has achieved great strides ‒ yet women of all ethnicities, races, cultures and nationalities often face adversities in the form of gender-based discrimination, unequal access to education, violence and employment opportunities ‒ among others ‒ of their own in their journey of womanhood throughout the years. 

Hence, the commemoration of 8 March as International Women’s Day, a movement spearheaded by activist Clara Zetkin,  is revered as a global achievement and a monumental occasion that is celebrated annually not just in recognition of how far the world has come in women’s progression but a reminder that there is still much to advocate for. 

At AirAsia, an organisation that prides itself in being a diverse workplace with no disparity between the genders, races or cultures ‒ this special day has never been short of celebration, advocacy and awareness. Home to close to 20 thousand Allstars globally with almost 40% of the workforce being women, AirAsia proudly launched #GirlsCanDoAnything a few years ago - a campaign focused on equality with a suite of purpose-driven programmes designed to support women from all walks of life, and constantly champions for our female Allstars to take on leadership roles in the organisation.

In the weeks leading up to 8 March, Allstars of both genders partook in the various activities and awareness campaigns led by AirAsia’s Culture team. In the spirit of women entrepreneurship, AirAsia set up booths in RedQ for women-led business comprising local and women-owned social enterprises supported by the organisation’s philanthropic arm, AirAsia Foundation as well as a dedicated ‘peer support’ booth, stemmed from an internal programme developed to provide emotional wellbeing support for Allstars. This initiative is led by AirAsia’s own peer supporters on a voluntary basis, who have been trained to provide emotional support with the aim of empowering personal growth and fulfilment.

This year, AirAsia was both humbled and honoured to host the epitome of women empowerment, a true Malaysian icon and a huge inspiration for men and women all over the region ‒ the one and only Datuk Nicol David at RedQ, AirAsia’s headquarters in Sepang.

Hundreds of Allstars excitedly gathered at RedQ’s atrium to grandly welcome the athletics icon who shared her inspiring story with the listening crowd.

As the first female World Squash Champion at the tender age of 23, household name Nicol David needs no introduction. Hailed as one of the greatest female athletes of all times, Nicol is a true patriot who has brought honour to her nation, having won the World Open title at the World Squash Championships a record 8 times, as well as the British Open title 5 times. 

Nicol reveals that even during uncertain times in her life, she had always envisioned being a world champion, and recognises the extensive amount of effort and hard work she has channelled into her career. 

“I never consider challenges as a negative aspect of life - I feel that the only challenge you face is the one to be a better version of yourself,” she says. “Sports helped me navigate how I deal with losses and how to come out of failure ‒ it’s made me the person I am today.”

She goes on to stress on the importance of work-life-balance, given the immense pressure many women face in today’s world to ‘have it all’. 

“Give time to do something for yourself, even if it's just a walk for ten minutes a day. When your body is healthy, your mind is healthy. Take a moment to breathe, and come back to the ‘now’”, says Nicol. 

Nicol credits her success to her steadfast dedication to her desire to be the best in her craft, as well as the humility instilled in her and her sisters as children by their parents - and it shows. In spite of being one of the most famous and highly respected faces in Malaysia, the bubbly Nicol spoke graciously to the awed audience in front of her, only too happy to share the secrets of her success with the hopes that it will go along way in getting them to broaden their horizons and push their limits. 

One of Nicol’s biggest inspirations in her life? Her mother, who’s words always rang true for the squash legend: “Whether you win or lose, always stay humble, as success will come and go but a good person will always remain the same.”

The long-advocated for International Women’s Day will always hold a special place for us at AirAsia.  In line with this year’s theme of ‘Invest in women: Accelerate progress’, the organisation recently introduced the #IAmRemarkable campaign to Allstars,   a global movement that is aimed at empowering everyone, particularly women and underrepresented groups, celebrates their achievements in the workplace and beyond ‒ one of many in AirAsia’s continuous journey to uphold its commitment to diversity and inclusion in the near and far future. Thank you, Datuk Nicol David, for inspiring us to be better and showing us that truly, #GirlsCanDoAnything. AirAsia wishes its female Allstars and all other strong women in the world, a Happy International Women’s Day!