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Members will recall the inspirational talk at the
Nottingham Conference 2005 given by Alex Laskowski.
Now in her second year at Magdalen College,
Oxford, studying
Law, Alex wrote to Barbara
Maddison commenting on how delighted she was to learn that girls
from the Sixth Form at her old school now represent young women’s views
to the International Council of Women.
Alex writes further:
“Having been
educated in same-sex schools since the age of seven, it has been a
delight to share the platform with young men.
It will come as no surprise that there is no difference of
ability between the women and the men.
Women are elected to the top positions in the University.
Indeed, this year a young woman is President of my college’s
Junior Common Room and in Hilary Term a young woman will be President of
the Oxford Union.
“What
is exciting about university is that everyone is so worldly:
most people are acutely aware of the
struggle of others and are desperate to help.
The teaching enables us to do that.
As well as improving our minds and our
thinking, the
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university experience trains us to
believe that nothing is impossible for us.
No matter whether we want to be a top investment
banker or a brain surgeon, our tutors show us that with hard work we can get
anywhere.
As a result, this year has been inspiring,
exhausting, fascinating and reassuring.
“At Oxford, it is not a disadvantage to have been
born a girl. But we are the
lucky few, a miniscule percentage in the world’s population and we learn
constantly of, for example, how the law is not sympathetic to women who are
victims of domestic violence.
For the vast majority of women in the world it is a disadvantage to be born a
girl and I think it is wonderful that the NCW is reaching out to young women of
sixteen and seventeen to give them a say in women’s position.
The ultimate change can only come from women themselves.
“Do
I still want to work for human rights?
Of course.
I am more passionate about them than ever before and
I know that with the training I am receiving,
I shall be able to live my dream.
I just want all women to live theirs.”
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