International Women’s Day is just one day a year, but it shouldn’t be. After all, the challenges women face—from systemic discrimination to everyday microaggressions—don't disappear on March 9th. To truly honor the spirit of International Women's Day, we must integrate its core values into our daily lives, transforming it from a yearly observance into a continuous commitment to equality.
Lausanne, with its rich international mix, is a city where cultures, languages, and ideas intersect. If you’ve ever felt the energy of the women’s march, you know the power of women claiming space together. Want to keep that momentum going? Here are some local women-led businesses and initiatives to support year-round.
1. Attend Galvanize, an apéro dînatoire and networking event for women entrepreneurs
Are you a woman entrepreneur looking for an inspiring, distraction-free space to connect with like-minded business owners? Sophie from the TLG team and I are coming together to bring you Galvanize, an evening to spark ideas, share journeys, and connect over meaningful conversations while enjoying a curated menu by Chef Fabiana Mostardeiro of Au Four Lausanne paired with local wines at Pif’ Bistro à Vin.
2. Frost a cake at Flavours, a new woman-owned bakery sous-gare
Supporting women-owned businesses is one of the most impactful ways to champion women in your community. Gather a group of friends and head to Flavours for a memorable night in Valerie’s atelier, decorating bento cakes, laughing, and enjoying time together!
3. Appreciate the collected works of Alice Pauli at MCBA, a visionary Vaudoise art collector
This free exhibition celebrates Alice Pauli, a pioneering gallerist and art patron, showcasing works from her extensive network of international and Swiss artists. The show, organized by the MCBA, which she designated as her legatee, retraces her influential career and highlights her dedication to artists like Magdalena Abakanowicz and Louise Nevelson. The exhibition reveals Pauli's forward-thinking approach and her significant contribution to the art world and Vaud itself.
4. Find friendship with The Girl Code, a community and movement
The Girl Code hosts more than events. It’s an inclusive community dedicated to forging friendships, creating memories, and facilitating a sense of belonging through events and experiences. It's a space where like-minded women can flourish together.
5. Gain confidence and skills with Ladies System Defense, a one-time workshop
The hope is you’ll never have to use these skills (and you should never have to in a just world), but having a grasp of basic self-defense can help lower stress and increase confidence in women. Join Ladies System Defense for a special 3-hour demonstration and skills class.
6. Take in a poetry reading about the intricacies of girlhood at Books Books Books
Lausanne’s staple English bookshop is welcoming Julianne DiNenna for a one-time poetry reading in April. DiNenna’s "Girl in Tulips" is a moving blend of lyric, incantation, and memoir, exploring love and longing through the lens of childhood illness. Her poems guide the reader through hospital wards and family challenges, using the zodiac and seasons to illuminate a girl's struggle for life. This collection, filled with tenderness and astonishment, compels us to witness the unseen and celebrate the sacredness of childhood.
7. Expand your understanding with Maison de la FEMME
Madeleine Moret, a pioneering Swiss radiotelegraph operator and discreet philanthropist born in Lausanne in 1901, left a lasting legacy by bequeathing her extensive estate to the Lausanne Women's Union upon her death in 1973, despite being relatively unknown within the organization. This unexpected act of generosity, which stemmed from a life characterized by both technological innovation and quiet altruism, lives on today at Maison de la FEMME in her mission to defend women's rights, women's interests, and the status of women and society. The organization has an incredible calendar of events that celebrate and provide education on a spectrum of topics from overlooked to taboo, like perimenopause and menopause, women in comics, divorce and retirement, finances, parent-child relationships, self-love, and more.
8. Take care of your health at ellie, a comprehensive women’s clinic for all stages of life
Check out this beautiful new women’s health clinic in Blécherette. For complete and tailored women's health care, ellie connects you with a diverse team of healthcare providers, including gynecologists, midwives, an osteopath, physiotherapist, and psychotherapist. The experts at ellie offer weekly courses to focus on every aspect of your health, including prenatal and antenatal classes, childbirth preparation courses, postnatal classes, and yoga classes.
9. Support your local activists, with La Grève Féministe Vaud
Were you at the International Women’s Day march on the 8th of March? We’re taking that incredible energy with us throughout the year. Stay up-to-date with La Grève Féministe and support its future events by grabbing your friends and holding a sign. There’s strength in numbers.
10. Balance your hormones, with Ashley Allen Counseling at a special lunch session
Let’s face it: the world is not built for women. We’re never really taught about our hormones. For women in their reproductive years, having a better understanding of our body’s rhythms is an empowering step we can take to balance ourselves and our energy.
11. Join a multigenerational group of women, with the International Women’s Club of Lausanne
Surrounding yourself with women of all ages and experiences is a proven way to support your overall well-being, so why not join a local women’s club? Celebrating the diversity of English-speaking women in Lausanne, the International Women’s Club of Lausanne offers a vibrant community centered on social, sporting, charitable, and cultural engagement. The organization is built by volunteers and welcomes and supports newcomers to Lausanne.
12. Create a feminist art piece with Art and Vogue, coming soon to Lausanne
Group art events are coming to Lausanne in April! An all-woman team leads Art and Vogue, an organization dedicated to gathering people and providing an outlet for creativity, an opportunity to learn new skills, and a boost to well-being. As they expand their offerings to Lausanne, the first few events in the city will combine sport and music to create a high-energy experience and hands-on visual arts.
13. Reclaim a traditionally masculine craft with Knock on Wood
Join master craftsperson Zsuzsanna Varga at her Lausanne workshop to learn the fundamental skills, knowledge, and techniques of woodworking. Each instructional course is designed to support beginners’ confidence, as well as encourage them to work independently.
Becky Guldin is an American living in Lausanne. As a communications professional with a background in advocacy and gender studies, she works with passionate women business owners all over the world.
