Women leaders are builders of hope, showing extraordinary leadership and leading towards a brighter future. These and other suggestions emerged at a conference to mark International Women’s Day in March 2024 in Rome. A report from the conference has been published recently.

A keynote speech at the conference co-organized by the British and Australian Embassies to the Holy See with Caritas Internationalis was given by UISG’s Executive Secretary Sr. Patricia Murray IBVM. She invited the participants to recall not only the professional women who shatter “glass ceilings,” but also the countless women who, every day, courageously lead their families and communities in the most challenging circumstances.

“In the midst of these demanding situations, women are showing extraordinary leadership across the planet. Wells are being dug; trees planted. Cultural practices are slowly being challenged and changed; awareness-raising campaigns are tackling human trafficking; women are advocating for education and healthcare for themselves and their families. They are joining hands across old bitterness and hatred, to work for peace and justice.”

Sr. Patricia Murray mentioned those who work in the fields, who walk for hours to fetch water, who are displaced and trafficked as well as those who continue to challenge injustice so their daughters may live a more fulfilling life.

Other women religious who shared their insights at the conference were:

• Sr. Helen Alford OP, President, PontificalAcademy for Social Sciences; Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Pontifical University of Saint ThomasAquinas.
• Sr. Nathalie Becquart XMCJ, Under-Secretary of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.
• Sr. Espérance Bamiryio CMS, missionary and former Director of the Catholic Health Training Institute in South Sudan.
• Sr. Maria Nirmalini AC, Superior General of the Apostolic Carmel, President of the Conference of Religious, India, and holder of various awards.
• Sr. Ruperta Silva CMST, missionary in Brazil.

The discussions illustrate the barriers that women continue to face when it comes to participation and decision-making, while highlighting success stories of women’s empowerment in various spheres. The participants stressed the contribution of women’s leadership towards a better future.

The report is available via Women Leaders Report.