This week we have celebrated International Women’s Day across the school, with pupils having a thought provoking assembly on gender inequality around the world. Pupils found out that gender equality is still something that we can’t take for granted. Around the world, 28 young girls are forced into marriages against their will every minute! And 1/3 of women will experience violence in their life time, a figure far lower for men. But even in our own country, the gender pay gap is shockingly high for women doing the same roles as men. Year 7 pupil, S. Bains in 7B2 commented “I am shocked that women in India earn 34% less than men!”

The assembly pointed out that women shouldn’t have to be exceptional to be worthy of comment. A woman engineer shouldn’t be something unexpected, for example. 

In order to support women in the school, out of the school, our mothers, grandmothers, friends, sisters, nieces and aunties, we must all think carefully about how we contribute to the society we live in and how we are considerate of others, never normalising the idea that women are any different to men in terms of capability and capacity for success.

This week our forms will be completing their pledges to #inspireinclusion and say how they will support women in being equal.