Three powerful Manawatū women leaders will join forces at UCOL Manawatū on International Women’s Day, 8 March, to kōrero
on what an equal future looks like - the United Nations’ theme for this year’s International Women’s Day. The theme is
in honour of the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world to shape a more equal future and recovery from
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Te Aho Tāmaka leaders Vanisa Dhiru and Dr Farah Palmer will join entrepreneur Jacinta Gulasekharam to discuss how
success is bringing others along with you, the key moments in their journeys, and their insights on an equal future.
Co-hosted by UCOL Public Talks and Te Aho Tāmaka, this free event promises to be an interesting and inspiring evening
with such high calibre panelists.
Vanisa Dhiru is a champion for equality and was recently recognised in the New Year Honours for services to community
and gender rights. Dhiru now holds a commissioner role with the NZ National Commission for UNESCO, is a former president
of the National Council of Women NZ and holds advisory roles with NGO’s and government agencies.
Former Black Ferns captain Dr Farah Palmer led her team to victory in three consecutive World Cups. Since her retirement
from rugby, Palmer has worked to bring about social and cultural change through education, strategic decision-making,
and storytelling. She was the first women on the NZ Rugby Board and is Chair of the NZ Māori Rugby Board.
Innovative young entrepreneur Jacinta Gulasekharam, is the co-founder of Dignity, a social enterprise that has created
access to over 30,000 sustainable period products to tackle period equity. She’s also a First Foundation mentor,
campaign leader, Edmund Hillary Fellow, and was Women of Influence Young Leader Finalist for 2020.
The event will be held at UCOL at 5:30pm on Monday 8 March and includes an opportunity to mix and mingle after the main
event. It is a free event; however, RSVP’s are essential. Those interested can RSVP to nina.mercer@ceda.nznina.mercer@ceda.nz>.