Happy International Women's Day!
Published: 08 Mar 2022
International Women’s Day is celebrated globally to recognise the achievements and contributions of women through the years. Read on to find out how these remarkable women of NUS Medicine handle the many roles and hats they wear everyday, and how they hope progress for gender equality will look like in the future. Happy International Women’s Day to all the women out there! #BreakTheBias
Assoc Prof Reshma Merchant, Head & Senior Consultant, Division of Geriatric Medicine
National University Hospital
“I believe that gender equality starts at home. Parents can lead in breaking down gender stereotypes by being equal partners in sharing roles and responsibilities at home, and encouraging discussions on diverse topics such as Artificial Intelligence and engineering with the children to build their confidence and assertiveness in pursuing their passions and beliefs, regardless of their gender. For a more effective and inclusive society, there needs to be a balance—a “Yin” and a “Yang”, and women bring diverse perspectives to the table. I am fortunate to be working in a place where recognition is based on merit and capability, and every success of mine has given me a greater boost to run up the ladder!”
Assoc Prof Gan Yunn Hwen, Assistant Dean, Equal Opportunity and Career Development Office
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS
“My career took a backseat for many years when the kids came along. I saw how my career took a hit when I was unable to travel and invest time to network and build a higher profile within the international scientific community. Even though I had interesting and impactful findings to share, they did not gain traction. When both male and female leaders invest time to examine potential stereotypes and biases within the organisation, initiate change to upend the status quo of doing things to address gender inequality, even if it means inconvenience and accountability—that is a strong demonstration that gender equality is a conviction.”
Assoc Prof Lydia Lau, Director of Education, PET-Clinical
Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, NUS
“I have been fortunate that building my career in nursing for the past three decades has been an enriching and fulfilling experience, despite facing challenges in a dynamic healthcare landscape. I believe that all efforts and contributions of women should be valued and celebrated, whether big or small. A majority of the nursing workforce in Singapore consists of women. They were, and are still, frontliners who courageously and effectively led the way in combating the pandemic. I hope to witness a new era where all individuals are recognised based on their contributions so that we can achieve an equal future as leaders, collaborators and decision-makers to eliminate bias, stereotypes and discrimination, regardless of gender.”
Dr Sumytra Menon, Deputy Director, Centre for Biomedical Ethics
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS
“My career journey has had its challenges, but it is also what make it so fascinating! My advice for anyone who is looking to build a lifelong career is not to be afraid to ask for what you want and seek out wise mentors. To truly show that we are a society that values gender equality, we need to encourage and promote organisational transparency and accountability. It would make a bigger difference in society if we could all contribute in creating a systemic cultural shift that emphasises a more balanced allocation of family responsibilities between both genders.”
