International Women's Day 2018: Namrata Nath Kumar, Clinical Research Associate

It’s International Women’s Day and this year’s theme is #PressForProgress. What does the word “progress” mean to you in regards to women and gender?

Progress to me means women moving forward in the direction they want to be headed in, with positivity, encouragement and support from their male and female peers. It means to head easily towards their goals, without encountering any negativity or hindrance from their employer, because they are women. 

What does gender equity mean to you?

To me, gender equity means that individuals of any background, regardless of the gender they relate to, have the same rights to achieve their goals, and reach higher administration roles. It means that regardless of their gender, everyone should be given the support they need individually to best perform their role, and gain the experience they need to progress to higher roles in their chosen career pathways. 

What impact will your work have on women’s health around the world?

Even though my work will not directly affect women’s health around the world, it will help inform policy makers to make more informed decisions to reform healthcare policy around the world, to better the health of girls and women. 

In recent years there has been an increasing effort to encourage girls to enter STEMM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and Medicine). What are your thoughts on how we could better achieve gender equity in research?

Achieving gender equity in research can be best solved by raising awareness of this issue to individual institutions, and also to the researchers who are at the higher levels of administration, and in professorial roles. If the leaders in the field understand the need for gender equity, they will provide appropriate mentorship, sponsorship and support for girls who are looking to pursue research in the STEMM field. The leaders also need to work towards making research in the STEMM field an appealing and exciting field, so that it becomes a mainstream career path for girls who will become the future women leaders.

What do you think are the biggest challenges and priorities for women internationally right now, and what are the biggest opportunities for the future? 

The biggest challenges and priorities for women right now is education and gender related violence. Educating girls around the world should be a priority as education is the key to success. By having the opportunity to be educated in the same way that boys are, girls will get in equal chance to improve their life skills, improve their quality of life, and attain the career paths that they wish to. Gender related violence is a huge burden on the wellbeing of girls and women around the world, and should be a priority to resolve internationally. 

Education and making the public aware of these issues is one of the biggest opportunities for the future and shall be acted upon and taken seriously. 

Why are days like International Women’s Day important to you?

International Women’s Day is important to me because it spreads awareness and reminds the public about the importance of gender equity, the need for it in our society, and to reinforce the actions that are required to achieve and maintain equity. 

Name a woman that has inspired you, either professionally or personally.

My mumma, is my first and foremost inspiration. She was a carefree child, but once married, put under many responsibilities, that were new to her. She carried out the immense challenges, while bringing up my sister and I. Later, she went to University and completed a degree, while adjusting in a new country, working almost full time, keeping the family’s social life, and supporting her husband and kids through work and school. Not once did she let my sister nor I feel that we needed to do any house chores, or anything extra to help her get through her studies. Once I went to University myself, I realised how tough it would have been for her, and how she did it all effortlessly. Her resilience, courage, strength, positivity and unconditional love motivates me to be a better person, to stay focussed towards my goals, and to spread love unconditionally.