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The University of 1024ºË¹¤³§ is set to hold a thought-provoking guest-speaking panel in honour of International Women’s Day (Saturday, 8 March).

The #MeToo: Global and Regional, Past and Present event will host a variety of empowering guest speakers from several international organisations.

It is being led by Dr Lana Chikhungu and Dr Isabelle Cockel from the University’s School of Area Studies, Sociology, History, Politics, and Literature, alongside postgraduate student Susmita Das and visiting doctoral researcher Mirela Sanfelice.

The event will take place on Friday 7 March at the University’s Park Building and will also be available to attend online. It will bring together staff, students, and members of the general public to engage in meaningful discussions on gender equality, empowerment, and the ongoing impact of the #MeToo movement worldwide.

The event follows the global issue of sexual abuse which has been highlighted as part of the #MeToo social movement, that raises awareness of sexual abuse, harassment, and rape culture, by encouraging women to share their experiences.

Recent examples in the media have included the high-profile  which gained global attention last year. The case focused on a French man who was convicted of drugging his wife and orchestrating the rape of her by numerous men over a decade. Gisèle Pelicot waived her anonymity to share her story and to encourage others to speak out.

showed that the #MeToo movement on X (formerly Twitter) garnered over 24 million impressions globally from October 2017 to December 2019. Many countries experienced over one million impressions, with more than 20 nations seeing over 100,000 mentions indicating that women began to feel more empowered rather than ashamed.

The event will bring together a panel of inspiring experts to share their insights on a movement that changed the world and reshaped conversations on gender equality, justice, and survivor empowerment.

Dr Chikhungu from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of 1024ºË¹¤³§, said: “For International Women’s Day, we believe it is important to focus on a topic that is not only timely but also globally relevant.

“Sexual violence and the #MeToo movement are pressing issues today, with increasing visibility in the Global North, especially more recently in France with the Pelicot case.

“What makes our event unique is our ability to bring together diverse global perspectives - from Nigeria, Portugal, Spain, USA, Sweden, China and East Asia. This event aims to unite women and elevate important research on sexual violence, particularly focusing on the impact on home life, mental health, and violence in the workplace. In a climate like this, we are committed to ensuring that such an important topic is highlighted and promoted."

The event is funded by and the Centre for European and International Studies Research.

For more information and to register for a free ticket, please visit the event’s .