Think Creative Spring 2022

Creative Life

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Q A & for International Women’s Day

Women across Creative discuss challenges and strides towards equality Break the Bias

Creative celebrated International Women’s Day andWomen’s History Month in March with a series of social media campaigns and a panel discussion highlighting women’s work in development. Women from across Creative’s programming shared their personal commitments to “Break the Bias” in not just the development industry but around the world. From our projects in the Middle East to Africa and over to Latin America, Creative’s women shared their experiences of working toward gender equality and inclusion, using the international #BreaktheBias hashtag campaign to urge people to call out gender stereotyping and

discrimination when they see it. In April, Creative sat down with three women in leadership roles to discuss the challenges they have faced in their development careers. Panel participants talked about balancing the responsibilities of motherhood and work in the field, and the changing landscape for women seeking to build their careers in an industry previously dominated by men. Women are now a greater part of the development world, and as a result, the industry has seen companies like Creative make significant strides toward success around the globe. n

In what ways do you hope to “break the bias” for women? VOICES fromthe FIELD

Karen Janeth Duarte Chief of Party Central America Regional Initiative

Bethelhem Tesfaye Wordofa Teacher Performance & Student Assessment Specialist Ethiopia READ II

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The first step toward breaking the bias needs to be at the personal level, which means breaking the bias in terms of how we think we need to

The most important tool to break this bias is to create more learning opportunities for girls to augment their partici pation in the social, economic and political space. When strong, educated women control the space, it motivates others. In the long term, informed investments on equity and access as well as community awareness will help. There are culturally embedded thought systems that hinder these efforts, but systematic and innovative approaches can help to unlearn or embrace the empowerment of women within the community.”

be and how we lead programs, teams and organizations. Secondly, we need to look at how we envision other women and men to develop their skills, ensuring that our own and collective bias are always confronted in order to promote inclusive spaces.”

Photos submitted by Creative Staff

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