Equality champion embraces equity at RGU on International Women's Day
By Clara Maurillon - 08 March 2023
This year, International Women's Day encourages everyone to embrace equity and imagine a world where difference is valued and celebrated. Our Staff Equality Champion for Women, Judith Abolle-Okoyeagu, answers our questions about why promoting equity in the workplace is important for RGU.
Why do you think it is important to celebrate International Women’s Day at RGU?
"International Women's Day (IWD) is important at RGU because It is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women not just within the university but beyond. IWD is a great opportunity to recognise the contributions of women to society and reiterate on the importance of promoting and advancing gender equality. It also presents a platform to evaluate how much has been done and what more can be done to raise awareness of and eliminate challenges faced by women."
This year’s theme is “Embracing equity”. Could you explain what equity is and how it can be implemented for women in the workplace?
“Equality means that everyone is presented with equal opportunities or resources irrespective of their unique situation. Equity acknowledges that every single person has a unique situation and therefore takes this into consideration when assigning opportunities or the tools required to achieve a given objective.
"Equity can be implemented in the workplace by creating more awareness about its importance, providing development opportunities for women, and creating more flexible work arrangements.
Even though creating an equitable workplace requires commitment, it is worth the effort as studies have shown that equitable workplaces attract the best talents and have good employee engagement and retention amongst others.”
How can colleagues help in advocating for women during and beyond International Women’s Day?
“International Women’s Day goes beyond just the day. It raises awareness of the contributions of women and the challenges they may face. It presents an opportunity for organisations to commit to improvements and positive change.
"Everyone has a role to play by actively participating and contributing either through their individual experiences or showing support as an ally. As a community, there is a collective responsibility to ensure that women’s voices are heard, support is available, and unacceptable behaviour is challenged.
"Colleagues can get involved in the RGU Women’s Network or join an Action Group.”
