Islington Council calls for women who have made a bold contribution to gender equality

To mark this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8 March, Islington Council is calling on the community to nominate women who have made a bold change to make Islington a better and more inclusive place.

 

The theme for this year’s IWD is #BeBoldForChange, to call on the world to take ground-breaking action that truly drives the greatest change for women. With the World Economic Forum predicting that the gender gap won’t close entirely until 2186, IWD aims to be a catalyst and vehicle to drive greater change for women.

 

To celebrate this year’s IWD and inspire the community, the council is looking for stories of bold women who have championed women’s rights. A judging panel, made up of Islington Council’s Women’s Staff Forum, will select up to ten women, whose photographs and stories will be made into a digital artwork, created by artist Sarah Pimenta, to be unveiled on IWD 2017.

 

Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz, Islington Council’s executive member for community development, said: “Islington has a proud history of pioneering women who have made a notable contribution to women’s rights. We want to hear about dynamic women who are making a difference today in their communities or where they work. They could be from any background or walk of life. What is important is how they are striving to make Islington a fairer and more welcoming place.”

 

Islington has been home to many of the early pioneers of gender equality. One of the country’s earliest advocates of women's rights was Newington Green resident, Mary Wollstonecraft, who established a school for girls in 1784 and became known across Europe for her radical views on gender equality. 

 

In the early 1900s, there were regular demonstrations outside Holloway Prison, as over 1,000 Suffragettes were sent to jail for making public protests. 

 

Huge strides for women’s health were also made by residents Florence Keen and Marie Stopes. In 1913 Florence Keen founded the North Islington Infant Welfare Centre and School for Mothers in Holloway, while Marie Stopes was a pioneer of sex education and birth control.