Empowering Tomorrow: Young Voices Celebrate International Women's Day

A reflection written by Christina Rodan

Bula vinaka, I’m Christina Talei Foliaki Tuiqamea Rodan. I am 14 years old and I am in S3 in Holy Cross High School in Scotland.

The 3 women that I admire are, my aunt, Sara Talei Soper, my older sister, Irena Rodan, and my Nana (mum), Okusitina Naisara.

I admire these women for different reasons. I admire Aunty Talei and Irena for their resolve to remain true to themselves. In a world where many people feel pressured by friends, appearances, and social media, Aunty Talei and Rena stood out by embracing their inner beauty and staying strong-minded during their teenage years.

They’ve taught me that it’s ok to be different from my friends and that the people that I choose to be around should help me grow in different aspects of my life. They’ve also taught me that achieving goals takes hard work.

I admire my Nana for her courage. After 18 years of being a full-time mum to me and my sisters, she had the courage to return to higher education. She has taught me that it’s never too late to re-engage education and that education is a life-learning journey whether academic or learning from the people around me.

I think that its important to celebrate International Women’s Days because women have faced real struggles regarding equal rights over the last century. It’s important to give props to all the amazing things women have achieved, not just the high-profile stuff but also the behind-the-scenes work at home. Recognising these accomplishments is a big deal because they’ve impacted how things are for us now.

This IWD, I hope that all girls will continue to aim for the highest achievement without fear of judgement from anyone. I also hope that women will have each other's backs and always show support for one another.