CELEBRATING WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

A large number of women in the AsiaPacific (APAC) region are excelling in their respective fields such as pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, clinical research, biotechnology and rising as exemplary figures while putting their best efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, the majority of the countries that have been more successful in stemming the tide of the pandemic and responding to its health and broader socioeconomic impacts, are headed by women. BioSpectrum brings to you 24 women in the life sciences sector at APAC who are making us proud by combating COVID-19, as we celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8.

The International Women’s Day theme for 2021, celebrated on March 8 every year, is #ChooseToChallenge, which highlights the importance of challenging biases and misconceptions in the interest of creating a more inclusive and gender-equal world. At the same time, the United Nations (UN) has issued a 2021 theme: Women in leadership- Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world. The UN’s 2021 theme celebrates efforts from girls and women in creating a more equal future and COVID-19 pandemic recovery.

It is also aligned with the priority theme of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women that says- ‘Women’s full and effective participation and decision making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls’, 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 to all forms of violence against women and girls, and healthcare services that respond to their needs.