March 8th, 2022, Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) Rector Prof. Inga Žalėnienė participated in a remote online webinar, “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow.“ It was organized by the European Women Rectors Association (EWORA) and the International Association of Universitites (IAU).
International Women‘s Day, March 8th, MRU Rector Prof. Inga Žalėnienė drew the attention of the global academic community to the situation of women in the face of Russia‘s aggression against Ukraine. She invited everyone to support Ukraine and unite in the name of peace and democracy as a basis for ensuring women‘s rights.
“We can not passively observe how women in Ukraine are suffering from bombs, which are destroying even schools and hospitals and watch as civilians are attacked and forced to flee from war-torn areas. It is unfortunate that today we also can not send tulips to those imprisoned Russian women who found courage to stand against Putin. These brave women – academics, Nobel Prize winners, students who are protesting against the war and are therefore imprisoned and persecuted. However, we can all unite to stop Putin‘s aggression and the propaganda machine,“ said Rector Prof. Žalėnienė.
The MRU Rerctor noted that not only Ukrainians can not continue studies in Ukraine, but also tens of thousands of students from Africa, India and other regions who studied there. They were forced to flee from Ukraine along with war refugees. MRU is supplying aid to the people of Ukraine, but it is becoming more and more difficult to reach MRU academic partners, professors, lecturers and students who have joined the ranks of fighters or have become war refugees.
"Putin‘s was on Ukraine has already shattered many plans of the younger generation and the dreams of millions of young people from all over the world,“ she said.
The MRU Rector highlighted the clear correlation between democracy and women‘s rights, which is indicated by various research data. Those countries who enjoy freedom, democracy and the rule of law for many decades come out on top in terms of gender equality. On the other hand, those countries who are suffering from unstable politics, armed conflicts and dictatorship are last on the list and lag in women‘s gender equality.
According to 2021 “Global Gender Gap Index“ data, Iceland, Finland, Norway, New Zealand and Sweden fare best in the gender equality list.
The worst countries in this aspect are: Afghanistan, Iran, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Pakistan, Iraq, and Yemen.
MRU Rector Prof. Dr. I. Žalėnienė – is a member of the IAU Board. Last year she was elected to the Board of Directors of EWORA. EWORA was established to develop strategies for increasing women at decision making levels in higher education and research. EWORA is committed to provide opportunity for women rectors to share their experiences to improve the situation of women academics and to remove the barriers for horizontal and vertical segregation in academia.