This year’s theme for the International Women’s Day,”Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world“, focuses on the enormous work by women and girls in trying to create a society in the post-pandemic world through gifts and generous service so all will be treated equally with men. The priority theme of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, “Women in public life, equal participation in decision making“, and the flagship Generation Equality campaign, which calls for “women’s right to decision-making in all areas of life, equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work, an end all forms of violence against women and girls, and health-care services that respond to their needs.”

For many SSNDs, this is achieved through education. The type of education that “enables persons to reach the fullness of their potential as individuals created in God’s image and assisting them to direct their gifts toward building the earth.” (YAS 25) ” As members of an international congregation, we recognize our obligation and opportunities to develop a world vision and a sense of global responsibility.  Our internationality challenges us to witness unity in a divided world; to discover unsuspected ways of sharing what we have, especially with the poor and marginalized; and to search for new channels of service in the universal church.” (YAS 26)