Today the school community wore red to generate awareness of the issues facing women in Afghanistan and Iran, where basic human rights and freedom are denied. The day was organised by a group of Form 5 students to show support to the #endgenderapartheid campaign.

The group are also planning to walk along the greenway on the 3rd May from Midleton to Mogeely. We hope this will be a public event and our local community will walk with us to support this campaign. The walk will take place on the 3rd May, from the train station carpark at 10am and we ask that everyone wear red. Everyone is welcome, please bring your family and friends, we would love your support! (There will be food available at the end). Buses and lifts back to Midleton will be available for those who need it.

A note from the organisers … Gender apartheid denies women their basic human rights and freedom by those in power. It is discrimination where women face segregation, oppression and exclusion solely on the basis of their gender. In Afghanistan, Iran and elsewhere, laws have been specifically crafted to constrain the lives of women and girls and to limit their role in society. 

We are supporting the #endgenderapartheid movement, whose aim is to get gender apartheid recognised as a crime under international law. Our part in the movement is to raise awareness for the movement in order to get recognition and awareness from our County Council and Government and also to educate the local community about the importance of this. Representatives from the campaign, Mahbooba Faiz and Mahya Ostovar (from Afghanistan and Iran) came to our school and gave a talk about their experiences under the gender apartheid regime in their countries. They greatly inspired us to start this campaign and we are working alongside them.

As students, we wish to show our support for this important human rights effort.