On 9 March, IITA celebrated the International Women’s Day (IWD) 2020, at the Institute’s headquarters. The theme for this year’s observance was “Generation Equality: Realizing equal rights for an equal future.”
IWD is a day globally recognized to celebrate the achievements of women in various fields such as social, economic, cultural and political as well as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
As is the usual practice to recognize and appreciate women’s valuable contributions to the Institute, IITA marked this important occasion by organizing a walk for staff and students of the IITA International school. A seminar also took place to discuss gender equality in the workplace and society.
During the seminar, Kenton Dashiell, Deputy Director-General, Partnerships for Delivery, encouraged staff to endeavour to continually promote gender equality in the workplace. “A gender-equal IITA can be healthier, wealthier, and more harmonious,” he said. Dashiell further enjoined staff to do what they can to make a positive difference for women working in IITA and around the globe.
In achieving gender equality, Patricia Nanteza, IITA science writer, called for gender-insensitive behaviour to be penalized. However, in a speech in a video clip at the Stockholm Forum on Gender Equality, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said that to establish gender equality, it is necessary to change laws that diminish women, but that it is more important to change the mindset of people.
Some of the IITA women also performed a short playlet to pass the message that men and women must work together for gender equity to be possible.
