Tuesday, March 8, 2016, marks the observance of International Women’s Day, an opportunity to recognize the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the world.
The theme of this year’s event is #PledgeForParity. As the world’s progression towards gender parity is slowing, the latest estimates predicting the gender gap will not close entirely until 2133, International Women’s Day looks to spur everyone into pledging to take a concrete step to help achieve gender parity more quickly.
There are a variety of experts at the University of Lethbridge who study these issues and who are available for comment to add to your coverage of this important event.
Dr. Linda Many Guns (Native American Studies)
Linda is an Indigenous researcher who specializes in Indigenous methodologies and cultural protocols. She has worked on national, provincial and local research projects that applied Indigenous methods to enhance understanding and provide reciprocal and respectful outcomes. Her research specialty is in the use of symbolism as practice. Her ongoing research includes both oral and visual projects, which rely on traditional women as transfer knowledge holders. The oral history work is the Ten Grandmothers project while the visual history project involves the creation of a series of portraits of traditional women.
Contact: Dr. Linda Many Guns, 403-394-3956 or linda.manyguns@uleth.ca
Lisa Lambert (Political Science, Women & Gender Studies)
L.A. (Lisa) Lambert is a sessional instructor who, in collaboration with Dr. Melanee Thomas at the University of Calgary, has been researching the participation of parents in political leadership, specifically mothers. Lambert and Thomas have looked at the presentation of mothers in elected office and the political branding they use regarding parenthood.
Contact: Lisa Lambert, 403-330-9530 or lseaforth@gmail.com
Dr. Jo-Anne Fiske (Women & Gender Studies)
Jo-Anne studies Aboriginal women of Canada and their inherent and constitutional rights; the anthropology of law with a specific focus on issues of gender inequality; and inter-racial relations within governing systems of health care and education.
Her work has been used to inform government policies, provincially and nationally, and contributes to understanding what Canadian women have achieved in the past and what barriers they face today.
Contact: Dr. Jo-Anne Fiske, 403-317-2835 or joanne.fiske@uleth.ca
Dr. Caroline Hodes (Women & Gender Studies)
Caroline is an assistant professor who teaches and has published in the areas of equality rights, international human rights, gender-based violence and poverty. She can also talk about the connections between gender-based violence and land injustices.
Contact: Dr. Caroline Hodes, 403-329-2684 or caroline.hodes@uleth.ca
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Contact:
Trevor Kenney, News & Information Manager
403-329-2710
403-360-7639 (cell)
trevor.kenney@uleth.ca
