ABCC vows to Inspire Inclusion at International Women's Day event
The theme of ‘Inspire Inclusion’ was in the spotlight as guests and members of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce celebrated International Women’s Day yesterday at University College Birmingham.
The International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8 each year. The day is aimed to help nations worldwide eliminate discrimination against women. It's also focused on helping women gain full and equal participation in global development.
ABCC president Omar Rashid welcomed guests and speeches were given by Yvonne Ebdon from Tommy’s charity, Kali Davidson from University College Birmingham, Samina Amin from the BBC, and Wendy Stanton from Clancy Consulting.
Omar said: “This is ABCC’ 13th year of commemorating IWD. While the ABCC stands as pioneers and trailblazers in IWD celebrations in the region, there's room for all.
“Other events only add to the richness of what we have to offer here tonight. So let's celebrate together.”
Also read: Chamber’s International Women’s Day campaign profiles seven trailblazing women
Kali Davidson shared her inspirational journey starting from her parents’ humble beginnings in Punjab to her upbringing in Coventry, where her love for food started.
She said: “If you're resilient and you want to do well in life, you can do whatever you want. I worked in a man's world, in a time where kitchens had no women.
“There were no changing rooms for women or human resource departments when I started working. Now so much has changed for the better. But more needs to be done.”
Samina Amin shared three tips that people can do to Inspire Inclusivity
“The first thing to do to Inspire Inclusivity is asking questions and being curious respectfully.
“Next, be yourself, everyone else is taken.
“And the last is have an understanding that diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance and belonging is your right to dance or not.”
Wendy Stanton, a qualified structure engineer for 25 years, talked about the changes in the construction industry over time.
“Back in the late '80s and '90s, there were very few women, if any, on construction sites. The environment was tough, with lots of verbal abuse and derogatory comments. In meetings, some people would blatantly ignore me.
“Despite these challenges, I found joy in my day-to-day work and was determined to succeed. I chose to ignore the negativity and focused on proving that I could excel in my chosen field.
“The percentage of women engineers in construction today is about 25 per cent. It might not sound like much, but in civil, structural, and mechanical engineering, it's a significant figure.
“Women leading the way in the industry have made it possible for others to see their potential.”
An expert panel discussion around this year’s IWD theme ‘Inspire Inclusion’ was also held, featuring all three speakers. The discussion was hosted by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce CEO Henrietta Brealey.
The event was sponsored by Tommy’s, a pregnancy charity working to make the UK the safest place in the world to give birth.
Speaking at the event Yvonne Ebdon from the charity spoke about the free training they offer to SME’s
“If you run an SME with under 250 employees, our trainings are available for free to support individuals in your workplace through various aspects of family planning, including pregnancy, surrogacy, IVF, fertility challenges, dad modules, partner modules, and baby loss modules.
“This year, we're proud to announce the progression of the miscarriage bill through Parliament, a significant step in the right direction. It is only three days, but it is a right step in the right direction.
“I encourage each of you to take this information to your employers. If you're self-employed, consider integrating it into your business. Sharing this knowledge is crucial because together, we are stronger.”
Click here for more information about Tommy’s charity.
Pictured from left to right: Kali Davidson, Wendy Stanton, Yvone Ebdon, ABCC director Anjum Khan, Henrietta Brealey and Omar Rashid.