What better way to celebrate International Women’s Day than listening to inspirational women share their insights on gender equality?
Last Saturday, Mrs Mitchell and I were invited to attend an International Women’s Day celebration hosted by the Zonta Club of Auckland. The lunch was an opportunity to recognise and celebrate women in our community who passionately advocate for gender equality. Being a leader of the Zonta club at Carmel, I saw this as a great opportunity to connect with other like-minded women who believe in empowering women and striving for change.
I was fortunate to listen to several inspirational female leaders and change makers. Speakers included Desley Simpson, Deputy Mayor of Auckland (pictured above); Nicky van den Bos, Chief Executive of Women in Sport Aotearoa; Dr Karanina Sumeo, Former Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner and NZ Human Rights Commission; and Shilpa Wilson, Founder of Diamonds in the Rough and recipient of the Zonta Club of Auckland’s Cherry Raymond Award.
The key message I took from this lunch was the importance of education in improving the gender imbalance. At Carmel College, we are privileged to be receiving a quality education in an environment that celebrates women and promotes female empowerment. We are encouraged to be leaders and to strive to be the best people we can be – both academically but also in service to our community. This is so important as it is women in positions of influence (such as these successful speakers) who are more likely to impact change. Unfortunately, this is not an environment that many young women grow up in. We need to continue to speak up and make a difference for those women who don’t have a voice yet.
The Zonta Club of Auckland is part of the global organisation, Zonta International. Zonta advocates for women’s rights and equality with a focus on initiatives to enable women and girls to thrive. If you would like the opportunity to learn more or get involved in Zonta at Carmel, feel free to contact me (20084) or Katarina (20125) to get involved in the club, service opportunities or future events and activities.
Meila Oosterdijk, Year 12
