The team at Lifeline are choosing to challenge themselves for International Women’s Day in support of helping to forge a more inclusive world.

The staff and volunteers have gotten proudly behind this campaign, showing their support though our Lifeline Shops with brilliantly themed window and shop displays, as well as personal pledges and displays within offices.

With an organisation that is full of strong and inspiring women whom we greatly value, we are proud to stand behind the importance of equal rights for women on this day and every day.

IWD LLD Dashboard

My Challenge for #IWD2021

Personal Pledge by Robert Sams, Executive Director Lifeline Direct - 8th March 2021

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Listen More Deeply to the Women in my Life
Robert Sams

Today is International Women’s Day (#IWD2021) and while we should recognise and celebrate women in our lives every day, at the same time, it is important to shine a spotlight on and admire the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

Today is that day.

Fortunately, I am surrounded by many wonderful women who are role models in my life. This includes both in my family and most significantly I am grateful to lead a team that includes 78% women. I have learnt and continue to learn from these role models who, among other qualities, demonstrate empathy, compassion and understanding.

These same women have also taught me about ‘resiliencing’; that is how to move forward in life despite the many challenges and adversity that may lay in front of us. This has become particularly evident to me as I reflect on the past 12 months (of COVID) where there has been much disruption to what we once considered our ‘normal’ lives. I’ve seen many examples where ‘resiliencing women’ have worked through significant challenges and made the world a better place for it.

Speaking of challenges, the theme of #IWD2021 is #ChooseToChallenge. The campaign highlights that; “A challenged world is an alert world. And from challenge comes change.”

So, in line with what is one of the most important things that we do in our work at Lifeline, i.e., deeply and actively listen, I challenge myself to listen more to the women in my life.

Not just the type of listening where I hear and respond to words, but the type of listening where I truly seek to better understand and learn. My hope is that by understanding better, I can also rise to the greater challenge that we all face which is to make the world an inclusive place where the voices of women matter, and their place is equal.

This is the challenge I choose for #IWD2021.

I applaud and thank the women who I am fortunate enough to have in my life and who offer me this opportunity to continue to learn.

Robert Sams