When a gym crèche near me closed down, the impact on its female users was enormous. It might not seem a big deal to most that two hours of childcare for somewhere in a small city in West Yorkshire had finished, but it is a big deal.

It made me realise that all the users were mothers, they were all women who had two hours a week to exercise and to have a break. It wasn’t a female only crèche but it was no coincidence that all the users were women. I am not saying there are not male main child carers but a large proportion are women. And it’s such “minor issues” like access to affordable childcare that are in fact huge.

Inclusivity not just diversity

So if we want true equality, that for me is not just hoping or trying to attract a diverse workforce or group of people but it is making sure we are inclusive and harness people’s talents as well as care for their situations and individual experiences.

For me, I find it particularly difficult to travel within school hours to get to business appointments and back home in time to do school run. I tend to work online and from home with limited travel. But there’s no way I could work in an office in a city centre and do school and nursery pick ups and drop offs.

Why do we need International Women’s Day?

I think there are more opportunities than ever for women but there is still a lot of work to be done. We need to explore unconscious bias. And making sure we are truly inclusive as possible.

Balance for Better

For me, I have made my career as a Journalist, Dancer and Mum work by running my own businesses. Although, I find that flexible working tends to mean working all hours but with breaks as and when you wish.

Slowly I am finding my own balance but together it is in all our interests to #BalanceForBetter.

I went along to BBC’s Fierce Women in Media Event to mark International Women’s Day, here’s what we found: