Using our voice, owning our power – Camden’s International Women’s Day Event 2020
Over 60 local people including young women from Camden schools, university students, and community activists from across the borough came together to mark International Women’s Day at the Greenwood Centre on Friday 6 March at an event focusing on understanding power, privilege and how to make change in our communities.
“This International Women’s Day we heard from women who have used their voices to change their lives and change their communities.
“Women of all ages and walks of life spoke about the anger they feel about the injustice they see in our society but also the hope they find in standing together to create change.
“I am so proud to be a woman from Camden where fighting for justice and liberation is part of our shared heritage.”
The event included presentations from; Helene Reardon-Bond, Camden’s Gender Equality Champion and the Chair of the Camden Women’s Forum (CWF), Sarah McCreadie spoken word poet, Councillor Samata Khatoon, Councillor for St Pancras and Somers Town, Farhana Yamin who helped to establish Camden’s climate emergency Think and Do space, Keir Starmer MP for Holborn and St Pancras and Khadija Shireh, Director of the British Somali Community Centre.
Alongside this the Advocacy Academy ran a workshop on collective organising and making change.
The event also marked the launch of the most recent Camden Women’s Forum (CWF) report entitled “Supporting Women into Employment”.
Helen Reardon-Bond, Camden’s Gender Equality Champion and Chair of the Camden Women’s Forum said:
“Our first Camden Women’s Forum inquiry looked at what we can do to help women into good employment.
“During our inquiry we met many talented, capable Camden women who for one reason or another have struggled to find good work, and found there are still too many obstacles and barriers that hold women and girls back from achieving their full potential.
“I am proud of the discussions had, and recommendations made by this Forum, which brought together local businesses and employers, the voluntary and community sector and partner organisations, and Council, and I am pleased to see Camden Council has already taken action on some of our recommendations.”
The Council wants to make Camden a better borough – a place where everyone has a chance to succeed and where nobody gets left behind. To achieve this vision the Council made five calls to action, one of which was “In 2025, growth in Camden should be strong and inclusive – everyone should be able to access the work that is right for them.”
Significant progress has already been made on a number of the report’s recommendations. These include:
- Piloting local job fairs in schools and local neighbourhoods, with two already held at Rhyl Primary School and on the Chalcots estate.
- Working with local organisations that support disabled people and developing an approach to employment support for disabled people, which will work to support disabled women into the workplace.
- Providing funding for a pilot project with the National Academic Recognition Information Centre (UK NARIC), an organisation that enables people to convert their overseas qualifications into a UK equivalent.