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Linda Miller, Principal
 
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Principal's Report

Ms L. Miller, Principal —

Today is International Women’s Day.

This is a global day in which we celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It is also a day in which we are reminded of the gender pay gap that exists around the world and call for action to speed up the reduction of this gap.

When International Women’s Day comes around each year, we are often surrounded by stories featuring inspiring, brilliant and often glamorous women who appear to have it all. The first International Women’s Day however, came out of the very unglamorous and sometimes dangerous fight for the rights of ordinary women around the world.

The first Women’s Rights Convention was held in New York, USA in 1848 with this event helping to establish the modern suffrage movement in countries around the world, including New Zealand.

The first International Women’s Day was observed in 1911 when over a million women and men attended rallies in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. At these rallies women demanded the right to vote and hold public office, the right to work and receive training and an end to discrimination against women.

The United Nations declared 1975 to be International Women’s Year and celebrated International Women’s Day for the first time. Twenty years later, in 1995, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was signed by 189 governments. The Declaration envisioned a world where every girl and woman could exercise her choice to receive an education, participate in politics, have an income, and live in a society free from violence and discrimination. This is a dream that is yet to be achieved but something that we, as a school, hope to contribute to by inspiring, empowering and challenging our girls to make changes for good in their world.

This year the United Nations theme for International Women’s Day is Think Equal. Build Smart. Innovate for Change. The organisation is looking to industry leaders, start ups, social entrepreneurs, gender equality activists and female innovators to investigate how innovation can remover barriers to gender equality, encourage investment in gender-responsive social systems, and build infrastructure and services that meet the needs of girls and women. As the United Nations states:

From mobile banking to artificial intelligence and the internet of things, it is vital that women’s ideas and experiences equally influence the design and implementation of the innovations that shape our future societies.

Rather than focus on the achievements of the privileged few, the UN urges us to reflect on the progress that has been made, to continue to call for change and innovation that improves the lives of girls and women around the globe, and “to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.” This is something we do at OGs every day.

Happy International Women’s Day everyone.

Thanks to the Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia eBrief for the information contained in this article.