Collective Action is the Key to Accelerating Progress and Creating Positive Change

The global theme for this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), “Accelerate Action,” resonates deeply with me. As a woman who has been active in both the labour and the feminist movements for decades, this rallying cry to accelerate action serves as a sobering reminder of the work that is still needed to achieve gender equity for all women.

According to the World Economic Forum’s 2024 global gender gap report, at the current rate of progress it will take until 2158 – five generations! – to reach full gender parity across the four key indicators they benchmark: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.

This timeline is unacceptable. Accelerating action means confronting systemic barriers with urgency, in workplaces, schools and in policy. It demands bold steps to dismantle the structures that perpetuate inequality, from pay gaps to underrepresentation of women in leadership.

We know that gender equity is not a standalone issue; gender intersects with race, class, disability, Indigeneity, 2SLGBTQ+ identities and a host of other factors to shape the lived experiences of women. ETFO recognizes that equity requires an intersectional, anti-oppressive approach, one that acknowledges and addresses the overlapping barriers faced by women in our communities.

The six per cent of funding from ETFO’s annual budget dedicated to women’s programs, and the programs themselves, are cornerstones of our commitment to equity. These programs provide vital opportunities for women members to engage in leadership development, advocacy and solidarity, and to create networks of support that ensure women’s voices are amplified and their experiences reflected in the work we do. From workshops on collective bargaining to programs focused on educating for social justice, disability issues and political action, these supportive spaces empower women to build skills and challenge systemic barriers.

ETFO strives to continually improve these programs to better meet the needs of women members and to respond to calls for support and engagement. This year we are undertaking a review of ETFO women’s programs. Our goal is to ensure we are meeting the needs of our women members, to ensure that our programs are intersectional and to identify gaps in women’s learning and leadership opportunities.

Beyond our members, ETFO champions gender equity by lobbying for policies that address systemic barriers, supporting women’s leadership and partnering with organizations that centre the needs and experiences of girls and women. Internationally, ETFO stands in solidarity with global movements for girls’ education and women’s rights, funding initiatives that provide access to schooling in underserved regions and advocating for safe, equitable learning environments. ETFO supports the Canadian Teachers’ Federation Teachers’ Action for Gender Equality (TAGE) program and Hope for Rwanda’s Children fund. This support includes scholarships for women teachers to further their qualifications and support for girls to attend primary, secondary and postsecondary education. ETFO also provides funding to Partners for Rural Development, a women-led Cambodian non-profit organization that builds inclusive and sustainable communities in northwest Cambodia with a focus on Indigenous Peoples, gender equity, education, health, agriculture, conservation and the environment.

Our commitment to equity is woven into all ETFO programs, resources, lobbying efforts, collective bargaining and public campaigns, and our equity and social justice work also extends beyond our members.

Educators know how deeply equity and social justice impact our classrooms and our public schools. As you begin your much-deserved summer break, I hope you are inspired to become an active agent of change. Get involved in your union and explore all ETFO has to offer, including the many incredible programs available for both women and the general membership. You make a difference every day for the students in your classroom. There are countless ways, large and small, that you can make a difference through your union as well.

Solidarity is our strength, and collective action is how we can all accelerate change.

Wishing you a wonderful summer.

– Sharon O’Halloran