As we approach the end of the year, it feels like a good time to pause and reflect on what’s seemed like a very fast-paced last term. Upon the request of Cecilia, our excellent Editor in Chief of Unconquered Peaks, I’ve transformed my muddled reflections of the SLT’s past 8(?) weeks into a hopefully succinct yet somewhat entertaining article.
This week, I had the unreal and unforgettable opportunity to attend a panel with the Right Honourable Dame Jacinda Ardern, the 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand, currently on a remarkable tour for her bestselling memoir, A Different Kind of Power. The event was proudly hosted by Wimbledon BookFest and held here at Wimbledon High School. Below are some of the topics discussed and my personal takeaways from the experience.
There are many misunderstandings circulating about the criminal justice system and the prisoners which inhabit it. For example, as a young child you may have learnt that prison makes society safer: somewhat true, but also very much not. As part of the HMP Downview partnership, which focuses on educating ourselves and others about women in the criminal justice system, we are here to help bust some of common myths about prisons.
Until recently, China was the world’s most populous country with around 1.4 billion people, equivalent to a staggering 17.72% of the total world population. Yet, an irreversible population decline in China has led to India overtaking it as the world’s most populous country. Reasons for this mainly centre around the transition of China’s traditional centrally planned economy to a mixed economy, allowing for greater freedom from the state in many industries. This has allowed for China to become an internationally competitive country, with employment opportunities for men and women that has resulted in households no longer feeling obligated to have children. In fact, between 2019 and 2021, large Chinese provinces and cities have seen huge drops in birth rates, largely due to China’s economic boom. China’s urbanisation has also shown a change of view in a woman’s “purpose” and “role” in the household, particularly in rural areas. Chinese traditions that were once focussed on women being responsible for all domestic duties and having children, rather than aspiring to obtain a future career, have given way to greater emphasis on gender equality, especially in education. These progressive values have encouraged women to work rather than settling down and is leading to a view that marriage and birth are barriers to freedom.
Be honest – have you ever found it difficult to apologise? It could range from not wanting to admit a mistake, to refusing to admit you were wrong to a friend because it’s so awkward. And whilst apologising can be awkward and uncomfortable in the moment, the long-term benefits always outweigh the emotional discomfort in the moment. But why do we find it so uncomfortable to apologise, even though we understand that the pros will usually outweigh the cons in the long-term?
