Leading  Issues Journal  

                    February 2001 Issue 

In  this  Issue

Section 1: 

 "The Becoming of a Sceptical Optimist" By Heather Crosby

The Centre for Leadership for Women profiles Heather Crosby, a well-known and highly respected woman in South Australia. Relating her journey in a chapter, "The Becoming of a Sceptical Optimist" in "Glorious Age" by Jocelynne Scutt, Heather's story speaks of courage and a personal determination to define and achieve a vision for the betterment of others, in particular for women.  Turning 77 in 2000, Heather is still active in supporting women and in speaking out against the portrayal of women in the media and in advertising. 

Heather's close friend, Shirley Stott Despoja, says of her, "Heather Crosby is a great supporter of women. Her support sometimes follows them through their careers, which is the support we need but we are so privileged if we get it. She is a role model for women of all ages. For her there is no divide between feminists. She reads everything and seems to know everything that goes on. She is respected far and wide, but particularly for her determination to eradicate demeaning portrayals and images of women. She is a great speaker and debater, a woman of great charm, tolerance and reason who is also an activist as all good feminists must be to safeguard the gains that women like Heather secured for us." 

In her concluding remarks Heather states boldly and unequivocally her choice to be "a self-identified woman" rather than a "male-identified" or a "woman-identified" woman, positions from which she has moved on.  

Born in Oxford, England on 25 April 1923, Heather Crosby has lived in England, India, New South Wales and Adelaide, South Australia, where she has lived since her marriage.   She lives by the sea with her husband of 57 years, a cat and a variety of goldfish. She maintains her equilibrium by enjoying her ten and six year old granddaughters, reading, beachcombing and cat worshipping.  

To read the article, click on the title below:

THE BECOMING OF A SCEPTICAL OPTIMIST  

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Section 2:

United Nations' Statistics on World's Women

The United Nations released in the middle of last year, The World's Women 2000: Trends and Statistics, a one-of-a-kind compilation of the latest data, documenting progress for women worldwide in six areas: health, human rights and political decision-making, work, education and communication, population, and families. 

"This report attempts to answer the urgent but complex question of what real progress are the world's women making in their lives," said Nitin Desai, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. "Available data show that women are making gains, but persistent disparities exist between women and men. We can see that the gender gap in enrolment in primary and secondary levels of schooling is closing, but it is unlikely this gap will be closed by the target date of 2005. While the gender gap in rates of economic activity is narrowing, women still must reconcile their family responsibilities with employment outside the home. Recent declines in early marriage and early childbearing in most regions show real change in the quality of women's lives, but in 3 of 5 countries in Southern Asia and in 11 of 30 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, at least 30 percent of young women aged 15 to 19 have been married."

Citing progress in collecting gender statistics, the report also stresses that new data is needed on issues unique to women, such as violence against women and maternal health. 

The World's Women 2000 is the third in a series of reports that has broken new ground.  The information and data in the present publication are intended to provide a "snapshot" of some of the more salient statistical findings since 1995, while also drawing out recent changes and long-term trends.

In the last seven years, governments, institutions and non-governmental organizations have worked at every level to implement and incorporate the agendas of a series of UN conferences into national programmes for action. The success---or lack of success---of these efforts is the subject of The World's Women 2000. The topics within each field of concern were shaped both by the availability of data and by the calls for action emerging from the global conferences. 

Highlights and important findings in The World's Women 2000 include: 

Health, Work, Human Rights and Political Decision-Making, Education and Communication, Women and Men in Families and Population

To read the highlights in each of these areas click on the title below:

The World's Women 2000: Trends and Statistics

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Section 3: 

Hot Courses for Careers By Morgan & Banks Ltd

• Why should one consider doing post-graduate study?
• What are the benefits of on-the-job training?
• Are qualifications alone enough to enhance career and earning potential?
• and what are the hot courses for careers?

These are the key questions addressed in this article by Morgan & Banks Ltd, a leading international professional services organisation specialising in recruitment, human resources and consulting.

To read the article, click on the title below:

Hot Courses for Careers By Morgan & Banks Ltd

Finally,  The Centre for Leadership for Women would like to invite you to take part in its Have Your Say topic  Considerations for Undertaking Post-graduate Study . What are your reasons for wanting to undertake further study? What are the main reasons that have stopped you from doing so? 

Click here to participate: Have Your  Say: Considerations for Undertaking Post-graduate Study 

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