Great Scot - The Scotch Family Magazine - Issue 151 September 2017 GreatScot_Internal_Sept_2017_FA | Page 40

Senior School
Senior School News
ABOVE: SCOTCH BOYS JOIN STUDENTS FROM SCHOOLS AROUND MELBOURNE IN THE ANNUAL WALK FOR WOMEN.
Towards a more equitable society: Walk for women
Women across the globe face greater
challenges than males.
In developed countries, women are confronted
with harsh realities that they are forced to accept:
the fact that they often can’t feel safe walking
home alone in a neighbourhood; that rather than
being praised for their leadership abilities, they’ll
often be dismissed as rude, bossy or shrill; and
that women are often denied promotions due to
perceptions that they will in future take maternity
leave and act as a ‘burden’ on the workplace.
In developing countries, women are often
denied the opportunity to gain an education, are
sometimes deprived of their basic human rights,
and are rarely able to pursue the same ambitions
as their male counterparts.
This can be changed – perceptions that are
held of women can be altered, and funds can
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be raised to support gender equality in other
countries.
The annual Walk for Women was hosted
at Melbourne Grammar School on 17 March.
This was the seventh year this event has taken
place, which is an initiative of a group of students
from across Melbourne. The aims are to raise
awareness of women’s rights, and to raise money
for the UN Women’s Fund, which assists in
improving gender equality around the world, but
especially in developing countries where these
problems are particularly pertinent.
Around 600 boys and girls from schools
around Melbourne, including a group of 35 Scotch
boys and members of staff, attended the walk – a
4km hike around the ‘Tan’, followed by a bake sale
and sausage sizzle to raise more money. With a
band providing lively music, the day was a hit, and
more than $6000 was raised.
Arguably more important than money, however,
was awareness of these issues that affect all
of society. After the Walk for Women, Scotch
boys said that they felt ‘more enlightened about
women’s issues’, and ‘enjoyed the opportunity to
meet new people and hear different views’. The
Walk for Women was a highly successful event,
and encouraged cooperation between young
males and females towards a more equitable
future for our society.
PIERRE RODGERS — YEAR 11
Great Scot Number 151– September 2017