WOMEN in Gibraltar had a packed discussion at the Garrison Library on how to increase their role in society recently.
The talk, led by Minister for Equality Samantha Sacramento, marked the beginning of the month when Gibraltar will celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8.
The focus of the discussion was, ‘Where are the women of Gibraltar?’, talking about the historical facts that influence women’s participation in everyday life.
Sacramento is currently the only woman in Gibraltar’s government.
The fireside chat started with presentations to the audience before speeches from leading women.
Dr Jennifer Ballantine Perera, Director of the Gibraltar Garrison Library, talked about the cultural norms that keep women from advancing in society.
Ministry of Equality Policy Development Officer Marlene Dalli then spoke about how women were under-represented and its impact on the social order.
After the speeches, women moved on to an open discussion on the topics at hand.
Gender parity
“This has been a wonderfully inclusive gathering and such a good way to kick start future International Women’s Day events during this month,” Ballantine Perera said.
“A key aspect of our event is that we are looking to collect data on a range of equality issues.
“The aim is to bring about change through a greater understanding of how we as a society feel about these important questions.”
Sacramento said she was impressed by the ‘huge appetite for these discussions’ as the event was over-subscribed.
She revealed that she had planned to launch a series of these fireside chats before COVID-19 hit so she was enthusiastic to pick up on the idea.
“It is, of course, very important to mark and celebrate International Women’s Day but it is equally important to ensure that there are substantive outcomes and that we are actively moving towards gender parity in a number of areas.
“This is the first of a series of fireside chats which will serve to keep the conversation going but, more importantly, will inform the ongoing work we undertake at the Ministry of Equality.”
‘Embrace Equity’ is the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day.
Across the world, street protests, campaigns and workshops will fight against negative gender stereotypes and male violence on March 8.
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