Today we celebrate International Women’s Day and the SDF is proud of the role women play in building an inclusive future, where we bring together broad and differing perspectives to create a more compassionate and equitable future for all. We’d like to acknowledge not only our visible achievements but also the silent, relentless efforts that often go unnoticed.
Visible triumphs
As you know, as a collective we have shattered glass ceilings and driven scientific and technological advancements, and we have taken their rightful place in boardrooms, parliaments, and space stations. We are also the educators shaping minds, the leaders guiding nations, and the people supporting others in the workplace crafting a future where equality becomes a reality. We are inspiring other women and girls who dare to dream bigger.
Invisible labour
For every celebrated milestone, however, there is a great deal of invisible labour that sustains our world. This is the work that hums quietly in the background—the care for children and elders, the emotional support that keeps families and communities together. It is the volunteer who listens, the friend who supports, the nurse who gives care… This work, often undervalued and underpaid, is the glue that holds our world together.
Difference that matters
Our contributions, both visible and invisible, are not just acts of individual achievement but are collective steps towards a more equitable and compassionate world. Each effort, no matter how small it may seem, can be part of a larger societal transformation. The difference our work makes is profound, even if we don’t see it —it is the difference between a house and a home, between surviving and thriving, between apathy and empathy.
Call to action
On this International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate and commit to recognising and valuing the work of other women, as you’ve done. Let’s continue creating a world where every contribution is acknowledged and rewarded, where the invisible is made visible, and where equity is not just celebrated one day a year, but lived every day.
Resources
We’d like to encourage you to explore the SDF Festival resources made available in AHE Connect, if you have already used them yourself, why not share them with somebody else, to help grow our knowledge and skills on belonging, empowerment and self-care. These recordings provide valuable insights into how we can continue developing ourselves personally and professionally.
Happy International Women’s Day!
(SDF Festival resources are located in the SDF space in AHE Connect, you will need to login/set up a password if you haven’t done so already)
About the author: Rossana Espinoza is a Senior Learning Experience Designer with a large multi-national organisation. Rossana is also SDF Chair, leading the SDF to fulfil its promise: to continue supporting staff developers in the HE sector. She led the organisation of the first virtual SDF’s Festival of Learning and Development during the pandemic and converted a hierarchical structure to an agile matrix structure with an invigorated Exec team.