SI Programme Director Hilary Ratcliffe reports from "Pink is the New Blue: Opening Doors for Women and Girls", a side event at CSW58 exploring the barriers faced by women and girls in entering into
traditionally male dominated fields particularly in STEM careers (science,
technology, engineering and mathematics). The event was co-organised by Soroptimist International, World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and the World YWCA. 

What an exciting interactive panel!  First of all we were challenged by a member from WAGGGS, Hala from Pakistan, to think about certain
qualities-would we classify these as male or female characteristics or both. We
had to write these on cardboard cutouts and then this informed the beginning of
the discussion.

Ella, a girl guide from the UK, then talked  about the value of non-formal education and how being a Guide had enabled
her to grow into leadership potential. After each speaker the audience was
invited to join in the discussion.

 

So we moved on to the presentation by UK Soroptimist Jan Hemlin about a
project developed by several Soroptimist International clubs in the UK called Skirting Science. In this
girls of 12 or 13 years old are invited to a day where STEM careers are
showcased and they can experience the excitement of science for themselves.
Universities in the UK, we were then told, are under great pressure to
encourage take up by girls of the STEM subjects. They are also bench marked
related to their gender inclusive policies.

But we don’t stop learning when we finish school! Ann Barton of SI Kenilworth (UK), spoke about the Athena Swann Award to recognise Universities for encouraging women in the fields of science and technology, while  Sharon Fisher, Programme Director SI Americas and then talked about Soroptimist programmes like “The sky’s no limit-girls fly too” where girls and women are given the
opportunity to experience flying, and many awards to encourage ongoing
learning.

 

Two members of YWCA then shared with us
their vision. Roseline, from Liberia, urged us to realize and treasure who and
what we are. She said women are often waiting for someone to give them a push
and persuade them that they can do—-whatever it is. She said “Men always look
behind but we stride forward”.

 

Finally the session wrapped up to us all to
challenge the concept of patriarchy. We are what we see and if we don’t see it
then we are less likely to want to do it.Whereas if you see it then you can and
will become it.

 Read more reports from the Soroptimist delegation at CSW58.