Women's Week, now in its fourth year at UNC, will be held this week to offer activities designed to increase awareness on issues such as women's health, domestic violence and women in the workplace.
Diane Kjervik, director of Carolina Women's Center, said months of planning have gone into the week's preparation.
"We had a planning committee of staff, faculty and students that has met since the fall to come up with ideas for Women's Week," she said. "It's amazing to me -- this is the fourth Women's Week we've had, and we continue to have such an outpouring of ideas and overwhelming response."
Kjervik said she thinks today's opening ceremony will be one of the week's biggest events. "We are thrilled to give the first ever Women's Advocacy Award to Mary Turner Lane, founder of the women's studies program at UNC," she said.
The opening ceremony will also include a speech from Valerie Parisi, chairwoman of the obstetric/gynecology department, and remarks from Chancellor James Moeser, Provost Robert Shelton, Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, and Rep. Verla Insko, D-Orange.
Other speakers will include Elaine Brown, former chairwoman of the Black Panther Party, who will present the speech "Empowering All Women" on Tuesday.
Wednesday's activities include the "Take Back the Night" rally and march. Senior Heather Woodcock of the Orange County Women's Center said she considers the rally an important part of Women's Week.
"It's a good way for everyone to see what is going on and to take notice," she said. "A lot of students are afraid to walk at night on campus, and it's important to show that people aren't going to stand for that."
Other events include a breastcasting and breast self-exam workshop, a women's health fair and a wage-gap bake sale where female customers will receive a 23 percent discount to symbolize that women earn only 77 percent of men's wages.
