International Women’s Day 2024: voices from our community

This year, International Women's Day is challenging us to inspire inclusion in a range of ways, which include supporting women and girls into leadership, decision-making, business and STEM; helping women and girls make informed decisions about their health; and providing women and girls with access to quality education and training.

Professor Magdalena Żernicka-Goetz is Professor of Mammalian Development and Stem Cell Biology. 

In 2020, Prospect magazine named Magdalena one of 'the world's top thinkers for the COVID age'. Her book, The Dance of Life, co-authored with Roger Highfield, was described by Alice Roberts as 'Quite simply the best book about science and life that I have ever read.'

Żernicka-Goetz Lab conducts research at the University of Cambridge and the California Institute of Technology. In June 2023, Magdalena shared that her team had successfully created human embryo-like models by the reprogramming of embryonic stem cells, an advance which will allow researchers to understand better why many pregnancies fail.

'It is wonderful to see more women coming into all branches of STEM as they bring an incredibly valuable perspective and energy that balances the human interactions necessary for successful research.'

Professor Magdalena Żernicka-Goetz

Kehinde Abereoje (2023, MPhil Population Health Sciences), from Nigeria, is a Mastercard Foundation Scholar and a passionate advocate for education on sexual health.

'It is crucial for women everywhere to have the autonomy to make decisions about their own health. This means empowering them with the knowledge and equipping them with the resources to make informed choices independently.

To truly inspire inclusion, we need to create safe spaces where women can access quality healthcare without barriers. We must involve them in the decision-making processes that shape these services, ensuring their voices are heard and valued. We must also ensure that women have the freedom to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health, without coercion or stigma.

'Inspiring inclusion is a multifaceted issue that requires a holistic approach. Education is a fundamental pillar in this pursuit. 

'I believe that education is a leveller. Every girl denied access to education is a missed opportunity for our communities to thrive. We fail these girls when we deprive them of their right to learn, trapping them in a cycle of disempowerment and exclusion. By ensuring that young girls and women have access to quality education, we are equipping them with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their lives and contribute to society.

The first step to inclusion begins with me and then with you. We must create safe and inclusive spaces at home, in schools, and in healthcare facilities, where women and girls feel valued, respected, and empowered.

Kehinde Abereoje 

College Research Associate Dr Maura Malpetti, from Italy, is a Race Against Dementia and Alzheimer's Research UK Fellow, based at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. Her specific interest is in frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. 

'International Women's Day is a great occasion to stop and think about the incredible progress that the academic community has made in working towards eliminating gender biases.

'Above all, we need to celebrate the pioneering women who paved the way within and outwith research. They are inspirations that continue to help us guide our personal and societal efforts and visions. 

'Inclusivity and diversity in all their meanings are key values that make science successful - we need as many perspectives as possible to be able to crack research questions and advance our discoveries.

'On this day - as every day - it is also important to reflect on how much we can still do to reach more comprehensive inclusivity in science, and other fields, and how to support women across the spectrum from more accessible education to leadership roles.

'I see this as the the scientific community's responsibility as a whole and believe that together we can really make a difference and create an environment where everyone and everyone's talent can thrive.'

Dr Maura Malpetti

Shathar Mahmood (2019, Medicine) is a fifth year medical student and President of Sidney's postgraduate student community, the MCR. The MCR stages regular events, including an annual conference.

In 2023, Shathar presented her co-authored research on artificial intelligence in medicine to the Royal College of General Practitioners Annual Conference.

'I find immense inspiration in the women who continuously demonstrate that faith is no impediment to academic achievement. They show me that femininity and wearing the hijab are not barriers, but rather facets of identity that enrich and distinguish our paths. I hope that every little girl is surrounded by people who champion inclusion and acceptance, paving the way for a future where backgrounds and beliefs are not barriers to our dreams.'

Shathar Mahmood

Crystal King (2022, MSt International Relations) is from The Bahamas. Her interests are in the preservation of human rights and dignity, and in promoting the education of young people, especially women and girls in small island developing states. She is the co-Director of the Catherine Florence Initiative and the lead on the Anglia Ruskin University Sexual Violence Podcast which will launch in April.

The Catherine Florence initiative will be launching its new campaign, LeadHer, this evening on Instagram and Twitter.

'Every woman carries within her the seeds of strength, resilience, and limitless potential. Through embracing our innate gifts, leading with compassion and pursuing knowledge in all its forms, we empower ourselves to run our world. Denying women and girls access to education is akin to burying the very essence of God's greatest gift to this earth.' 

Crystal King