It’s International Women’s Day and I’ve never been more struck by the myriad of serious issues affecting women as I am this year.
We are seeing backlashes against diet culture and raised awareness of women’s health issues such as menopause and gender equality. But sadly, we are also seeing women and girls fleeing their homes from war with only what they can carry.
Whilst it’s a sad day to reflect, there is also a lot to celebrate. I’ve always been a lifelong learner and I’m always signed up to some course or other. This year though, I’ve committed to focussing my learning and education on female issues such as health, politics, gender equality and empowerment.
To support those of you that want to do the same, I’ve put together this list of free online courses on various topics. Enjoy and spread the word. Happy International Women’s Day!
Gender equality
Gender equality and the empowerment of women is a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal, and has been thrust into the spotlight with the recent #MeToo movement and HeForShe campaign.On this course, you will understand the nature and consequences of gender inequality at work, in the family context, and in the media. You will also address what has been done to challenge gender inequality, and what still needs to happen in the future.
This course offers you the chance to explore vital historical perspectives on key contemporary issues surrounding sexuality and gender, including the #MeToo movement, campaigns for gay and trans rights, equal pay, and reproductive justice.
From Beyoncé performing in front of a lit up ‘Feminist’ sign to the #MeToo movement, feminist issues have never seemed so popular in the media. However, research still consistently highlights the under-representation of women in the media, especially amongst marginalised groups. On this course, you’ll be introduced to key gender issues. You’ll explore female representation in areas from news to sports to feature films, and discover why equal representation still looks a long way off.
Health
This course about female genital mutilation (FGM) is aimed at health professionals but covers a lot about what it is and the social an economic impact on society so is relevant still for those wishing to increase their knowledge on the subject.
This free course will introduce social model approaches to health and wellbeing, which take as their starting point not the scientific context of the body, but the social context in which women live. The focus is on women and the impact of social and cultural factors on women’s health. The course touches on various issues concerning women’s health, such as abortion, periods, the menopause, mental health and fertility.
Go beyond the body positivity movement and discover body neutrality. This course led by actress, activist, and changemaker, Jameela Jamil, explores the devastating impact society has on our body image, self-esteem, and self-worth. You’ll find out how to unlearn negative ways of thinking about your body and free yourself of any unnecessary shame or feelings of unworthiness you’re carrying.
Women’s rights
Explore the remarkable story of women’s rights and campaign for the vote. 6th February 2018 marked the centenary of the Representation of the People Act, the piece of legislation which extended the vote to (some) women for the first time. 14th December 2018 marked the centenary of the first election in which women could then exercise their vote. On this course discover how the vote was won, the nineteenth century background to the campaign and what happened next.
Women in the workplace
Nurture your confidence and power as a woman in the workplace. This course will help you to supercharge your resilience and confidence at work as a woman and hone your negotiations skills so that you can negotiate the maximum pay rise that you deserve.
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, many businesses have moved to fully online working – meaning more people than ever before are engaged in remote and home working. This new era brings challenges as well as opportunities. On this course, you’ll learn how to maximise your visual impact, and how to perfect power dressing despite only ever being seen from the waist up.
Learn how to enhance your communication skills and ask smarter questions. This practical networking course is designed to offer you the skills needed to enhance communication, improve the ability to listen and ask smarter questions that lead to more meaningful interactions. You’ll explore case studies with inspirational business leaders who will provide insightful analysis of their personal and professional networks, helping you explore how they started and grew their career using their connections.
General topics
We are bombarded with media statistics every day, but how much of this data is reliable? On this course, you’ll learn how to read and evaluate data in the media and how to stay alert to misleading statistics and fake news. You’ll find out how data is created, and how survey formats can affect outcomes. You’ll also learn the basic principles of data analysis, such as correlation and causation and margins of sampling error. Ultimately, assessing data and looking for intentionally or unintentionally misleading statistics will help you become a better-informed citizen and to make better decisions about things such as your health.
A timely and efficient humanitarian response can save lives during emergencies and disasters. On this course, you will explore theoretical and practical perspectives of humanitarian response. Examining the wider humanitarian context and the disaster management cycle, you will develop knowledge of how people can help in humanitarian crises.
In a time when suicide rates amongst menopausal women are rising, increasing your knowledge about this preventable cause of death could help save a life. On this course you will gain a broader understanding of suicide as a worldwide issue. You will analyse global suicide rates and patterns and explore common risk factors. You will also explore the social and cultural factors that can influence suicidal behaviour and look at suicide prevention strategies and learn how these can be enforced.
As our world continues to face some huge challenges, how can we act as global citizens to create a fairer society for all? Get an introduction to what global citizenship is, and what it means to be part of a global community, with this online course. You’ll explore approaches to globalisation and citizenship, and the opportunities and challenges that a global community creates. You’ll learn about global inequalities in healthcare, science and technology, and the tensions between local and global issues. You will also find out what you can do to make an impact.
Feel free to leave links in the comments for other interesting online courses you might have done.
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