In 2021, International Women’s Day is celebrated under the veil of COVID-19. The day is an important reminder to reflect on the achievements of women around the world, as well as acknowledging the ongoing struggles women face in achieving equality. In the context of COVID-19, it is important to acknowledge the countless and multi-faceted roles that women have played in responding to the pandemic and to strengthening communities across local and global scales as part of efforts to ‘build back better’.
Internationally, many – including us at Sustineo – have aligned ourselves with the United Nations statement of on choosing to challenge the status quo and continue to actively work towards bridging the gender gap. Domestically, recent events have provided a stark reminder that we – as a society – have a long way to go in terms treating women equally.
At Sustineo, we are proud to have the opportunities to support positive action in enhancing women’s leadership through our work. We have recently commenced work with UN Women in Samoa to better understand leadership pathways for women from community levels to politics. This project is being led our talented Senior Consultant, Dr Asenati Liki Chan-Tung, herself a Samoan researcher with extensive experience working on issues of gender and empowerment in the Pacific.
Closer to home, we are also excited to be partnering with YWCA Canberra as part of their Great Ydeas initiative to support women and non-binary gender persons in Canberra with an opportunity to pursue their passions and contribute to our wider community.
Happy International Women’s Day to all the incredible women who continue to strengthen our community!