The UTM Women’s Centre and the Women and Gender Studies Action Group celebrated International Women’s Day in the Instructional Centre on Thursday. International Women’s Day is a worldwide event that celebrates women and the progress of equality and empowerment.
There were booths to spread awareness of female accomplishments and of how women are portrayed in the media. Siddiqa Dalal and Suzie Price discussed the importance of breaking the stigma of feminism and talked about dispelling the myths of the movement.
The importance of the message of women’s rights was also stressed in the presentation, at which Dr. Joan Simalchik of the Women’s Centre, Deep Saini, the principal of UTM and the vice-president of U of T, and Karen Tackas, the executive director of Canadian Crossroads International, discussed the importance of female empowerment around the world.
Simalchik stressed the importance of International Women’s Day as a celebration of women and their contribution to global peace. Saini reflected on the same topic, confessing, “Women play a significant part in my life.” He shared a story of the oppression his mother had faced in India.
Tackas discussed important female contributions and events over the past year. CCI works in seven African countries and Bolivia, and also organized the Girls’ Empowerment clubs in Swaziland, a program in developing countries that informs women and girls of their fundamental rights and teaches them independence and confidence.
Tackas launched a fundraising campaign on Thursday to raise $50,000 for 200 girls to go to the clubs.
