Dear Woman of the Future: We hope that by the time you read this, all the advancements we have written and discussed in the past have been achieved. That society is fairer in terms of gender equality, meaning that women and men have the same opportunities, ...
On March 6, 2025 the Youth Representative of IBVM in Spain, Irene Cebrián, hosted an virtual intercollegiate meeting with the participation of 32 students from the eight schools of the Mary Ward Educational Foundation in Spain. The event, titled “Huellas en la historia” (Footprints in History), was organized in the context of International Women’s Day and concluded with profound and meaningful insights related to SDG 5 – gender equality.
The 32 participating students the engaged in discussions in virtual rooms about historical progress and pending tasks in gender equality. They became experts in one of four key topics: education, culture and sports, health, and employment.
The hope for the future of each group are as follows:
Education:
First, we believe that all girls should receive an education and learn at least the basics (a minimum of 12 years of schooling). Then, we thought that girls should have the right to choose their own future, including decisions about marriage, childbirth, and clothing. Finally, something we also found very important was ensuring that women in universities represent 50% of students.
Culture and Sports:
Achieve salary equality, sexual abuse against girls and women in sports no longer happens, that sexist comments are a thing of the past, and that men and women coexist in harmony. And finally, that abusers receive longer prison sentences for their actions.
Health:
That beauty standards have changed, allowing women to feel completely confident in their bodies without any external influence. We also hope that female genital mutilation has been completely eradicated in Africa, bringing better health to all the women there. We wish that all girls and women who have reached puberty, regardless of their country, have not faced any difficulty in obtaining feminine hygiene products—something that was not the case in our time, but which was essential due to their high cost and the VAT imposed on them. We also hope that mothers receive all the help and attention they need, and that abortion is no longer a concern thanks to the support they will receive. Childbirth is something that affects many women, so we hope that in the future, all women are better cared for and supported.
Employment:
That society is fairer in terms of gender equality, meaning that women and men have the same opportunities, such as: Social workers having gender-equal contracts. All workers who experience workplace harassment feeling safe to report such behavior without fear of social or economic repercussions, such as unemployment or criticism. Witnessing how gender inequality in unemployment rates due to childcare responsibilities has been balanced and that alternative measures we proposed—such as schedule adjustments, remote work, and state pensions for families facing economic inequality—have been implemented. This way, no family member is forced to leave their job to care for their children. Household chores being equally divided between men and women, with the common understanding that maintaining a home is everyone’s responsibility, and we must all contribute equally to achieve this goal.
You can read their full report including how they organised the event ICI.
