To mark International Women’s Day, the International Women Society of Moose Jaw hosted an event that sought to empower women as they balance their lives through the many roles they hold in society.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Balance for Better” which is a call to action for driving gender balance across the world. It also provides a direction to guide and galvanize continuous collective action.
Speaking at the event at the St Andrew’s United Church last evening, Kelly Beattie, Executive Facilitator at Beyond Connections says this year’s theme is a strategic one that shows that everyone in society has a role to play in creating balance. “I’d like everyone to understand that we all have a role to play and the theme being “Balance for Better”, it is more than just a theme. It’s a strategy to show that we all have a responsibility and ability to make a change in the smallest way.”
She emphasized the importance of inclusivity in creating balance, whether it is at the work place, home or in the wider the society. “It is important for women to have environments that are psychologically safe, and we create work places that are inclusive of others so women can feel comfortable to share their ideas and opinions. I really truly believe that some of the greatest ideas come from the heart of our organization. Having an inclusive organization can be so much better for not just our organizations but communities. And when I speak of inclusion, this is not just about gender but inclusion for everyone, inclusion of ideas, thoughts and actions.”
Meanwhile, Nazmia Bengeleil, Head of the International Women’s Society of Moose Jaw says she is happy that there is a local platform available to provide support for women. “Events like this is important for our women. The group has been celebrating this event for the past 15 years. We’ve always had a good crowd and women just love it. Our group of women are very dedicated.”
Bengeleil says these platforms not only empower women but also gives them an opportunity to learn a lot, especially about resources they can access. “For International Women’s Day, we get to meet new women and gain new members. We try to educate a lot of women at our meetings, so they get to learn a lot. We also help many newcomers by guiding them. It’s a very nice support group.”
If you want to join the International Women’s Society of Moose Jaw, you can contact Bengeleil at 306-694-1879. The group meets every third Thursday of the month at the Newcomer Center at 6pm.
