West Yorkshire celebrates International Women’s Day 2022

The Mayor of West Yorkshire and West Yorkshire Combined Authority are proud to support International Women’s Day (IWD) 2022 #BreakTheBias, with not just one day, but an entire week of activities highlighting the achievements of women of West Yorkshire.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire said: “As the only female Metro Mayor, I wanted to make International Women’s Day something incredibly special for West Yorkshire this year.

“Since becoming Mayor in May of last year, I have been bowled over by the number of fantastic women I have met, not just my colleagues at the Combined Authority but at the charities, businesses, and partner organisations I have worked with.

“As Mayor, I am also in the privileged position of being able to hear first-hand from the women who live in our villages, towns, and cities across West Yorkshire about their successes and achievements.

“I am excited to be a part of something fantastic for women and for the whole of West Yorkshire.

“Our celebrations won’t stop here - we have plans to highlight achievements, overcoming barriers and improvements to the safety of women and girls throughout the year and beyond.”

The week kick-started yesterday (March 7) with local legend and Olympian, Nicola Adams OBE leading a boxing workshop with students from Leeds Beckett University.

Following on from Nicola’s workshop, a series of online case studies will be streamed across the breadth of the Combined Authority’s social media channels.

The public will be able to tune into videos promoting the stories of everyday women of West Yorkshire; women who have succeeded in their careers and personal lives.

Viewers will hear from women in innovative businesses, the pioneering third sector, and resilient women who have rebuilt their lives after being the victims of crime and abuse.

Alison Lowe, OBE, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime said: “This is the first time that a campaign like this for women in West Yorkshire has taken place and I am proud to be part of it.

“Tracy Brabin and I wanted to create something different for women of West Yorkshire.

“When Tracy was elected last year, I knew that improving the lives of women and celebrating their success would be at the core of her work.

“The safety of women and girls is at the heart of our Policing and Crime plan, which we are launching on March 10.

“We have incorporated the experiences of both victims of crime and the professional women who understand first-hand what needs to happen to make strides in the justice system.

“I am looking forward to rolling the plan out in the weeks and months ahead, with the support of colleagues at West Yorkshire Police and other partners.”

The week’s activities will culminate in an event taking place at Nexus, at the University of Leeds on Saturday March 12. The event will see keynote speakers conclude the week-long celebration.

Discussions will be chaired by the Rt Hon. Baroness Warsi, and speakers include, Heba Beven, Founder and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Leeds based tech start up Utterberry, Professor Simone Buitendijk from the University of Leeds, founder of Bradford Literature Festival, Symia Aslam, broadcaster Stephanie Hirst and Noushin Raja, voted Muslim Woman of the Year 2022.

The event will provide an opportunity for inspirational women to get together and support one another whatever their journey, professional or personal.

A full programme and details of all speakers can be found at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/264156357777