International Women’s Day Assembly: Dialling Up the Feminism at EHS

Our assembly began with a powerful excerpt from Maya Angelou’s famous poem Still I Rise, reminding us of the strength, resilience, and determination that women have shown across generations. The poem set the tone for a thoughtful and inspiring assembly led by Elsie and Kiri, who explored why conversations about gender equality remain important today.

They highlighted how, throughout history, women have continually risen above barriers, challenged prejudice, and overcome doubt. While great progress has been made, they also acknowledged that many women still experience everyday challenges. Their message was clear: equality does not happen automatically — it requires awareness, courage, and action from all of us.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme, #GiveToGain, emphasises the idea that when we support and uplift others, we create progress for everyone. Students were encouraged to reflect on the ways we can give respect, visibility, opportunities, and encouragement to help build a more inclusive world.

A key part of the assembly focused on understanding the meaning of feminism. Students discussed how the term is sometimes misunderstood, particularly on social media. They emphasised that feminism is not about division, but about fairness, respect, and equal opportunity for everyone. The assembly also encouraged students to think critically about the information they encounter online, recognising that strong opinions and misinformation can spread quickly on social media. By seeking reliable information and engaging in respectful discussion, young people can develop a clearer and more balanced understanding of complex topics.

The assembly concluded with the exciting unveiling of our new Inspirational Women portrait gallery. The portraits were designed by talented Year 8 Graphics students, Zahra, Paarus, Kemi, Amreet, Viya, Emilia, Mariam, Aizah and Simran, supported by Mr Hunt and Graphics Scholar Maggie in Year 12.

The gallery features portraits of remarkable women and role models, including Queen Elizabeth II, Kamala Harris, Simone Biles, Chappell Roan, Vivienne Westwood, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Emmeline Pankhurst, Emma Watson, Rosa Parks, and the England Women's National Football Team.

While these figures are celebrated for their achievements and dedication, the assembly also reminded us that inspiration exists within our own community. The creativity, commitment, and teamwork shown by our Year 8 students in producing these portraits is a powerful example of the talent and potential within EHS.

As we celebrated International Women’s Day together, the message of the assembly was clear: creating a fairer and more equal world is a shared responsibility. As Maya Angelou reminds us, we can rise alone but we can also rise together. Because ambition has no gender, leadership has no limits, and inspiration is all around us.