Suffragette the movie - and the fight for equality

Earlier this month, we co-hosted the Brussels premiere of ‘Suffragette’, a film about female emancipation in the UK starring Helena Bonham Carter, Meryl Streep and Carey Mulligan. The film is directed by Sarah Gavron and is interesting for policy geeks since it is the first film in history to be shot in the UK Houses of Parliament. The film follows the struggles of several women fighting for the right to vote and for greater equality. Even though we have made great strides in the fight for equality since the 19th century, the film is a reminder that we still have a long way to go. At Google, diversity and equality are big priorities. We think creating product and services for users --all users-- starts with having a workforce that reflects the diversity of people around the world. We’re not there yet, but we’re working on it. That’s why we publish our data on diversity - it’s hard to address these kinds of challenges if you’re not prepared to discuss them openly, and with the facts. Overall only 30% of Google’s workforce are women - a reflection of the picture in the tech sector and STEM education overall. We’re working hard to improve this, not only for Google but for our communities. We’re empowering Googlers to confront unconscious bias and to celebrate diversity in their teams. We offer internships to young people interested in pursuing a career in tech and programs encouraging girls to learn how to code. We do all this because we want to move the needle on equality. With more and more career opportunities in technology, the fight for equality means encouraging young girls to study STEM subjects, improving representation of women in government and business and demanding equal pay for equal work. You can find out more about Google’s work on diversity here. Posted by: Catherine Williams, Public Affairs Associate Google Brussels