On Tuesday, October 13, the World With Women movement invites people to take part in a day where women pause their professional and domestic tasks to highlight their contributions and push for their inclusion in decision-making roles. Inspired by a similar event in Iceland in 1975, the movement involves both men and women and seeks to go beyond the issue of equality. The movement was officially launched on March 30, 2026, in Paris during the ChangeNOW event at the Grand Palais, with over thirty local committees formed across France, including one in Marseille. Similar actions are planned in other countries. Participants can join in various ways, such as taking a leave, delaying purchases, attending gatherings, or participating online. The goal is to show how much women contribute to society by measuring the impact of their absence. Caroline Blaes, one of the movement’s founders and a journalist focused on social and environmental justice, said, « The world can no longer continue to think, decide, or build without women. » In Paris, the event will take place at Place de la Bastille at 11:30, featuring speeches and artistic performances. At 1:00 p.m., a collective action will connect in-person and online participants, starting with a minute of silence for all women who cannot stop working on this day. This will be followed by a reading of the song from the 1975 Icelandic women’s protest and a formation of the letter W with hand signals, referencing sign language. The movement emphasizes accessibility, recognizing that participation is not always possible due to factors like financial instability, health, or caregiving responsibilities. The collective encourages people to stop for an hour, spread the message, or delay purchases, with men’s participation helping women to take time off. Lucile Peytavin, a historian and founder of Lucile Peytavin Consulting, discusses the societal costs of behaviors linked to traditional masculinity in her book Le Coût de la virilité. She notes that 84% of fatal road accidents, 90% of people condemned by the justice system, 86% of those accused of murder, and 97% of perpetrators of sexual violence are men. She explains that taking risks to prove strength is often tied to masculine identity but warns against interpreting her work as biologically determined. « Masculinity has no sex, » she says, emphasizing that these are cultural constructs and that both men and women can exhibit a range of behaviors. At work, Peytavin calls for rethinking what behaviors are rewarded, noting that taking risks, refusing to ask for help, and being always available can advance a career but harm team dynamics. She encourages employers to value qualities like empathy, communication, and the ability to acknowledge vulnerability, which are often more developed in women but can also be nurtured in men. The World With Women movement has outlined ten measures, including equal pay for equal work, equal representation in decision-making roles, better pay for care and education jobs, and public funding that benefits both women and men. It also calls for women’s full participation in peace talks and environmental decisions. Caroline Blaes emphasizes, « We can no longer do without half of the collective intelligence. » As the 2027 presidential election approaches, the movement aims to include these proposals in political platforms, bringing together associations, companies, local authorities, and citizens around shared goals. « We won't agree on everything, we will surely debate on many subjects, but that's not a problem, it's healthy, » Blaes notes. The extent of participation remains uncertain. « October 13 will not change everything. It is day zero, » Blaes says. Lucile Peytavin reminds us of how quickly habits changed during the pandemic: « When we estimate there is an emergency, we take action. » In Iceland, on October 24, 1975, nearly 90% of women participated in a « women’s day off, » stopping work and domestic tasks to highlight their contributions. This event led to a law on gender equality in 1976 and the election of Vigdís Finnbogadóttir as the first woman democratically elected to lead a state in 1980. World With Women aims to extend this legacy, choosing October 13, International Day for the Reduction of Disaster Risks, as the date for their mobilization.