Despite decades of social, economic, and cultural advances in contemporary society, women around the world continue face sexual discrimination and inequity. Nowhere in the world do women have all the same rights and opportunities as men, whether it be in economic opportunities, education, or health.  What is more, women continue to be victims of violence, with rape and domestic violence listed as significant causes of disability and death among women of reproductive age worldwide.

On March 8 every year, women of the world have the chance to review how far they have come in their struggle for equality, peace and development with International Women's Day (IWD).  The United Nations General Assembly established IWD in 1977 to recognize that peace and social progress require the active participation and equality of women, and to acknowledge the contribution of women to international peace and security.

In response to the need to address sex and gender inequity, the Government of Canada created the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)'s Institute of Gender and Health (IGH) in Dec. 2000, IGH is the world's first national research institute dedicated to creating and translating knowledge about sex and gender determinants of health.

In its five year existence, IGH has established research priorities that include:

• access and equity for vulnerable populations
• promoting health in the context of chronic conditions
• examining gender and health across the lifespan
• promoting positive health behaviours, and
• analyzing gender and the environment.

To commemorate International Women's Day 2005, CIHR would like to highlight one Canadian researcher whose contributions towards reducing gender-based violence through international partnerships has helped IGH achieve its research priorities: Dr. Wilfreda E. Thurston.

Dr. Thurston is currently is the Director of the University of Calgary's Institute for Gender Research and was recently appointed Full Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences.

Formerly the director of a women's shelter in Newfoundland, Dr. Thurston pursued doctoral studies in a concentrated effort to develop national and international collaborations aimed at preventing gender-based violence through a policy focus. 

Two of Dr. Thurston's CIHR funded projects include:

1. Characteristics of women's domestic violence health policy communities in five countries:  This international pilot project, involving Canada, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh and Thailand, addresses women's health and re-orients health systems to respond to gender and equity. Objectives include assessing national and international domestic violence policies and identifying future research partners, locally, nationally, and internationally. One such partner may include members from the interim government of Iraq.
   
   
2. Women's participation in domestic violence health policy development: A new international research team, including participants from Calgary, Canada and Perth, Australia with local community partners in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Thailand, was formed to study the participation of women in the development and implementation of domestic violence policies in the health sector. Areas examined include: the current roles and activities of team members and collaboration in regard to domestic violence policies and programs; existing barriers to implementing policies and programs in their locale; priorities for action; and strategies for implementing the recommended changes.

A big supporter of training master's and doctoral students, Dr. Thurston has overseen the work of over 50 students -- including one from Botswana who is currently studying the intersection between HIV and violence.

Dr. Thurston's efforts are a testament to the significant advances being made by Canadian female health researchers who are funded through CIHR's IGH, and is a proud reflection of the merits of International Women's Day as a whole.

(From left to right) Dr. Jennifer Hatfield, Ms. Habiba Sarabi, Minister of Women's Affairs, Afghanistan, Dr. Wilfreda Thurston at Ms. Sarabi's office in Kabul