We hope the holidays provided you with space to reflect on the deep learnings of this past year, spend time with loved ones in person or virtually and re-energise for the journey ahead.

2020 was a year no one predicted: local and global challenges with change and uncertainty on an unprecedented scale. COVID-19 has deepened gender inequalities, especially around job insecurity, extra caring duties, mental health and domestic violence, among others. These issues were compounded by the already prevalent inequalities afflicting women and girls from gender stereotypes to the pay gap, elder care and the motherhood penalty. Watch our video (English and Chinese) to understand how all of these factors can disadvantage women over the course of her lifetime.

This New Year, amid uncertainty, TWF has opted for two words of intention rather than conventional resolutions to underscore how we plan to approach our work in the year ahead. The first intention is to be bold – to boldly re-imagine our city as gender equal and help to actualise its potential for all. The second intention is to cultivate compassion in our work, our relationships and our community, re-affirming our unwavering commitment to the most vulnerable and prioritising collective care.

So it is with boldness and compassion that TWF will focus our work in the following areas:

• Addressing COVID-19 specific challenges for women and girls through our continued advocacy and initiatives around issues such as domestic violence, digital gap, mental health and other areas where women and girls have been disproportionately impacted
• Engaging men and boys as agents of change with our Male Allies initiative, Reverse Mentoring Programme and new research and advocacy
• Holistically addressing challenges facing women at work through our range of Pipeline Programmes for professional women from early career to the Board Room
• Enabling underprivileged girls to maximise their future career opportunities through our suite of Community Programmes that adopt an ecosystem approach to gaining future-proof skills and self-confidence, particularly around STEM
• Mobilising the community to address all forms of sexual violence against women through our impactful advocacy work and crucial cross-sector collaboration
• Nurturing our collective and individual mental well-being, not just as an employer and gender equality advocate, but also leading by example in the community

To accomplish this ambitious agenda, we will strengthen partnerships with a range of stakeholders and engage more deeply with the wider community.

Join us in 2021 as we tackle these complex issues facing women and girls, employ innovative ways to serve the needs of our community, and seize opportunities for positive, equitable change for all.

Get in touch at Fiona.Nott@twfhk.org.