International Women’s Day affords us the opportunity to celebrate the many strides made towards gender equity and inclusion. However, it is also an occasion for us to recognize the ongoing local and global forces that continue to challenge progress for cis and trans women and girls in all areas of social life.
On March 8, let’s honour and appreciate the social, cultural economic and political contributions and achievements of girls and women, while also paying attention to the intersectional barriers that remain in the way of full inclusivity. The continued prevalence of misogyny/misogynoir, gender-based discrimination and violence, and the clawing back of health care, education and voting rights and freedoms for girls and women in some countries around the world, confirm that the work to advance and actualize gender equity is not only far from done, it must be intensified.
¿ì²¥ÊÓƵ has long recognized the importance of gender equity. Examples abound of the ways in which students, staff, faculty members, alumni and retirees contribute to disrupting and undoing gender inequity – such as research excellence at the Centre for Feminist Research, new partnerships with global networks, cutting-edge and interdisciplinary courses and academic programs focused on women and gender, programming for women-identified students, supports for women entrepreneurs and so much more.
I want to highlight just a few of the remarkable achievements by community members from the past year, and hope you will take time to engage with their stories.
- The selection of Professor Emerita and Distinguished Research Professor, Pat Armstrong, to join the Sectoral Table on the Care Economy, advising the federal government on how to better support both paid and unpaid care providers.
- The work of staff and alumni Talisha Ramsaroop and Krystle Skeete to empower youth in community and on campus.
- The naming of Pina D’Agostino, associate vice-president research, to Chair of the Ontario Centre of Innovation board of directors.
- The inspiration of alumna Lilly Singh, who was awarded an honorary degree.
- The scholarship through co-creation and cultural storytelling of Stephanie Fearon, York’s inaugural assistant professor of Black thriving and education.
- The work and initiatives to build stronger pathways for women to succeed in computer science and engineering by the Women in Computer Science and Engineering group.
I invite you to celebrate International Women’s Day in a way that makes sense to you and that marks the many achievements of women and girls around the world. And, I encourage community members to learn more about the barriers to gender equality that remain.
Together, we can ensure that everyone has the chance to flourish and contribute to a more equitable and prosperous future.
Thank you. Merci. Miigwech.
Parissa Safai
Interim Vice-President Equity, People & Culture