A Letter from Dean Kyte on International Women's Day
As the first woman dean of The Fletcher School, I am proud of our integration of gender analysis across international affairs education and the dynamic women teaching and researching in all our fields of study and the brave young women in our student body. As we approach our 90th anniversary I salute the women who came before and broke down the barriers to their study and to women and practitioners in global affairs. International Women's Day is a day where I remind myself that I stand on the shoulders of so many women before me and I honor those who have mentored, guided, and sponsored me–from head teachers to youth leaders, professors, colleagues, clients, opponents and bosses.
To express my gratitude, I recommit to using my influence to lean back and pull forward young women around the world, in particular those on the frontlines of the never-ending struggle for equality. This year I keep in my heart and at the forefront of my mind the young women of Iran leading a revolution for equality and too often arrested, intimidated and now, for some, poisoned in their schools rather than being educated. And the young women of Afghanistan kept at home rather than be allowed to work or go to school. And the young women of the United States forced to cross state lines and sleep in cars to exercise their right to bodily integrity and privacy. Unless and until we can allow every woman, everywhere, to be free to exercise their human rights, we will never be at peace.