This International Women’s day, third-year students Meg Payne and Halle Breed spoke to Jo Burns on BBC Radio Kent about the challenges facing women in general, and the challenges they are facing as young women trying to break into the world of politics.
This year’s theme was ‘Embrace Equity’, so what exactly is the difference between equity and equality? Here is IWD‘s answer:
“People who push for equality-based solutions to social issues may believe in impartiality, and that there should be no difference in services and policies. However, equity-based solutions take into account the diverse lived experiences of individuals and communities, adapting services and policies according to these differences.”
Meg provided insight on widespread concerns for women’s safety and violence against women and girls, after helping to organise the Reclaim These Streets march in November 2021, highlighting that although all genders are victims of violence, it is often women who suffer at the hands of men, and that education and awareness are key for tackling this.
Halle emphasised the importance of female representation in politics to make sure the issues that predominantly affect women are acknowledged and dealt with effectively.
We are proud of our students for not letting the male-dominated nature of politics stop them from pursuing careers in the field!
Listen to the interview, and find out who their heroines are, here. Listen from 2 hours 48 minutes.