The International Dairy Federation (IDF) marked International Women’s Day with its third annual webinar. The event brought together a diverse audience interested in exploring and celebrating the pivotal role of women in the dairy sector. The informative and empowering session featured distinguished speakers and highlighted the contributions of women within the sector.
Dr. Judith Bryans, who was the first female President of IDF and is now Co-Chair of the IDF Women in Dairy (WiD) Task Force moderated the session.
Ms. Lynda McDonald, also Co-chair of the WiD Task Force, set the stage with insightful opening remarks, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and celebrating the achievements of women in the dairy sector.
Dr. Esther Achandi from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) shared compelling case studies, including a nutrition campaign in Rwanda, sparking discussions on the vital role of women.
At her turn, Ms. Becky Rasdall from the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) provided valuable insights into the significant contributions of women in the U.S. dairy sector, showcasing stories of success and resilience.
Launch of IDF Women in Dairy Knowledge Hub
During her presentation, Ms. Caroline Emond, first female Director General of the IDF, launched the IDF Women in Dairy Knowledge Hub, an initiative aimed at providing resources and fostering collaboration for Women Empowerment in the global dairy sector. The Hub features reference reports, e-learnings, spotlights on women, rapport summaries, factsheets, webinars, blog posts, and case studies. The launch marks a significant step towards creating a comprehensive knowledge repository and a supportive community for women in the dairy sector.
“Gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment are essential to achieving all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as ensuring food systems that are economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable. For generations, the dairy sector has been contributing to the empowerment of women. The new IDF Women in Dairy Knowledge Hub focuses on how the dairy sector is helping and can improve the empowerment of women to achieve broad social benefits”, said Ms. Emond.
The launch of the IDF Women in Dairy Knowledge Hub is a testament to IDF’s commitment to advancing gender equity in the dairy sector.
