#IWD: Karen Primrose

Linda Barclay Isles

Friday 8 March 2024

International Women’s Day 2024 – #InspireInclusion 

International Women’s Day is an opportunity to champion the power of women’s voices and drive positive change.
 
We spoke to women across the the University who all have one thing in common – an unwavering pursuit of equality. We asked them why they thought it was important to mark IWD, who inspires them and what they love about being a woman.

Karen Primrose, Head of Special Projects at Eden Campus
 
Why do you think it is important to mark International Women’s Day?  

Celebrating International Women’s Day is imperative as it sheds light on the persistent inequalities faced by women globally. Inequalities continue, and there are instances where women’s voices are silenced, and their rights repressed. This day serves as a crucial reminder that the struggle for gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women is not confined to certain regions; rather, it is a universal challenge that demands ongoing attention and collective efforts. It provides a platform to amplify the voices of women who may be facing discrimination or oppression and emphasises the need for continued advocacy and solidarity to overcome these challenges. 

Is there a woman who has inspired you personally or professionally?  

There are a couple of women who inspire me in general, apart from obviously my Mum and female relatives! The first is Dr. Suzanne Doyle-Morris of Inclusiq.com, a woman and my friend who is a speaker, executive coach, and author. She has been championing workplace diversity and inclusion, improving the lives of women working in male-dominated companies across many countries and in STEM environments, for many years. Her three books are excellent tools for women, inspiring and guiding them to a better job and workplace. I particularly like ‘The Con Job,’ where she focuses on the opposing traits of competence versus confidence.   

The second and indeed third women, who I had the pleasure of hearing talk about their book, ‘How Many More Women?’ are Jennifer Robinson and Keina Yoshida. They are human rights lawyers, and quite frankly, brilliant, in their efforts to defend and ensure women’s freedom. Some of the stories in their book are just wow. And not in the good sense.  
 
What did you want to be when you were young?   

I wanted to be like Jane Goodall, working with chimpanzees, being out in the jungle and wearing khaki!  And I haven’t done any of them! However, when I was younger and eagerly reading the National Geographic my gran gave me, I was inspired to see a woman doing research and working in a job she loved and being the centerpiece of many news articles.