Our annual local International Women's Day breakfast is being held on Thursday, March 8, 2018. The message and theme internationally is Press for Progress.
The breakfast has sold out for the past four years.
This year we have the honour to hear Kate Wiggins. Kate is the Executive Director of Anova: A Future without Violence, formerly Women's Community House and the Sexual Assault Centre of London. Anova is a full service organization providing shelter services, transitional housing, a volunteer and staff helpline, outreach, sexual assault services, public education and training and services for children.
Kate has been a leader in the not for profit sector for over 30 years and sits on many committees, concerned with violence against women at the local, provincial, and national levels.
Kate holds both a BA in Psychology and a Master's Degree in Social Work from Carleton University, and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Western University. Kate also has her Certified Fund Raising Executive designation. Kate is the grandmother of 6 girls who inspire her daily to continue the quest for equality for women.
#PressforProgress
With the World Economic Forum's 2017 Global Gender Gap Report findings telling us that gender parity is over 200 years away – there has never been a more important time to keep motivated and #PressforProgress. And with global activism for women's equality fueled by movements like #MeToo, #TimesUp and more – there is a strong global momentum striving for gender parity.
And while we know that gender parity won't happen overnight, the good news is that across the world women are making positive gains day by day. Plus, there's indeed a very strong and growing global movement of advocacy, activism and support.
So we can't be complacent. Now, more than ever, there's a strong call-to-action to press forward and progress gender parity. A strong call to #PressforProgress. A strong call to motivate and unite friends, colleagues and whole communities to think, act and be gender inclusive.
International Women's Day is not country, group or organization specific. The day belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. So together, let's all be tenacious in accelerating gender parity. Collectively, let's all Press for Progress!
Collective action and shared responsibility for driving gender parity is what makes International Women's Day successful. Gloria Steinem, world-renowned feminist, journalist and activist once explained "The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights."
So come and help us make International Women's Day 2018 YOUR day and do what you can to truly make a positive difference for women.
