Sidra Haidari attended the UN Women Australia - International Women's Day event with over 90 other people and a list of guest speakers including the Hon. Katy Gallagher - Minister for Women, Minister for Finance and Minister for Public Service: Tarana Burke – Activist, Author, and Founder of the ‘me too’ movement, Dr Catherine Ball – Scientific Futurist and Rebecca Maddern – Journalist at 7News.
Some of the key messages of the event were about the importance of transformative and innovative systematic shifts – something that can be brought about by women having equal access to skills training and jobs in all sectors, as they are still underrepresented in many. There was robust discussion about how if business as usual is not disrupted, systems will continue to be flawed for generations into the future. This closely aligns with the issues that GameChange grapples with in its journey towards a positive shift in the jobs and skills system.
Despite many advances, when a woman stands up to tell her story, society will often only hear how that story impacts a man – speakers at the event advocated for mapping a picture of female injustice – once we have that, we will be able to identify where our current systems are failing us and adopt some accountability for positive change.
Federation University staff and students celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD) at the Berwick campus with guest speakers from Victoria Police, a researcher from the University and Sidra representing the City of Greater Dandenong. Sidra talked about how important it was to centralise women’s concerns and to not just tick boxes by ensuring HR quotas were filled. She identified some ways we can address the imbalance – in our policies, economic decisions, by challenging gender stereotypes, calling out discrimination, seeking inclusion, in peace, security and in international and domestic relations.
Kathy Racunica, Head of Federation University – Berwick Campus, said, “This year’s theme - ‘Embrace Equity’, was certainly fitting. Sidra Haidari shared her perspectives, learnings, challenges, and opportunities experienced through migration, education, social experiences, and work journey. Sidra is certainly a talented future leader and an inspirational to young and old.”