International Women's Day

International Women’s Day this week is an opportunity for women to look back and celebrate all that we have achieved so far. It is also an excellent platform to use as a catalyst for further change and gender equality; to reach out and embrace womanhood across the globe and across the North East.

The theme this year is “Press for Progress” a call to action to press forward and progress gender parity.

At A Way Out we are very aware of the girls and women who struggle to realise their true potential. We are aware of the harm, trauma, sexual exploitation and abuse that many women experience and are still subjected to. We advocate, support and strive every day to empower women and girls enabling them to speak up, speak out, recover and realise their ambitions.

Over the next two weeks A Way Out staff and volunteers will be celebrating with the women and girls with whom we work in order to recognise women’s life journeys  and achievements made to date. We will take time out to recognise those who fought for our right to vote and will be showing the Suffragette film. The women with whom we work with will also be encouraged to recognise and celebrate their own achievements and accomplishments. We will be joining together to identify the work that is still left to be done to bring about true gender parity.

A Way Out will be delivering specially themed workshops focussing upon the issue of sexual exploitation and the learning from Operation Sanctuary.  The workshops will inform our local service delivery, alongside providing a safe space for women to share their own experiences and to galvanise collective action to bring an end to this exploitation.

A Way Out’s Staff, volunteers and clients will be joining in the movement to “press for progress”.

“The Story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organisation but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights” Gloria Steinem.