SDG 5: Gender Equality

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Wilfrid Laurier University is steadfast in our commitment to a more inclusive world where gender equality is realized, and all women and girls can fully participate in society and reach their full potential. We engage in a range of initiatives that promote gender equality on our campuses and beyond, working to advance SDG 5.

Highlights of Progress

The work that Laurier completed in 2025 to advance SDG 5.

Laurier’s Nela Petkovic honoured for cybersecurity leadership and inclusion advocacy

Information technology and cybersecurity are vital to post-secondary institutions and affect the success of every student, faculty member, researcher, and employee. Yet when it comes to advancing technology and security, Wilfrid Laurier University’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) Nela Petkovic has found she is often one of the only women in the room.  Petkovic set out to change that. Together with Tracy Dallaire, deputy chief technology officer and director of information security and client services at McMaster University, and several other leaders, Petkovic helped established Inclusion in Cybersecurity Canada (ICC), an organization that provides education, mentorship and community for underrepresented groups in the traditionally male-dominated field, with a particular focus on supporting equity and diversity in the Canadian research and education cybersecurity sector.

'We are reclaiming a sport we've been excluded from'

Treisha Hylton is taking social work out of the office and into the ocean. She returned to her home country of Jamaica to help young Black girls grow and heal through surfing. In partnership with a non-profit surf school called Surf Girl Jamaica, Hylton held a two-week camp for 15 to 18-year-old girls who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to surf. They gathered at Bull Bay beach each day and shared their feelings, worries and dreams as they paddled through the waves. 

A new chapter at Laurier: Graduating ISOW scholar Hasina Hamidi’s journey of courage, education and hope

When Hasina Hamidi crossed the stage at Wilfrid Laurier University spring convocation in June, she marked more than the end of an academic journey. To earn her Master’s degree, Hamidi defied the odds of war, displacement and the erosion of women’s rights in Afghanistan.

Laurier ranks in top 13 per cent of global universities in Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings

Times Higher Education (THE) has ranked Wilfrid Laurier University among the top 13 per cent of global universities in its 2025 University Impact Rankings. Laurier was celebrated for tackling climate change, fostering gender equity and combatting food insecurity. It ranked in the top four per cent of global universities for SDG 5: Gender equality.  

Research Centres

Laurier research centres advancing SDG 5.

Laurier Centre for Women in Science

Launched in 2012, the Laurier Centre for Women in Science (WinS) is proud to champion women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The centre is building an inclusive scientific community through research, action and communication. Its ultimate goal is to make the centre redundant.

Initiatives

Laurier initiatives in 2024 that advanced SDG 5.

Women’s application rate and acceptance rate

Laurier’s Institutional Research Office systemically measures and tracks women’s applications and acceptance rates. Some indicators are publicly reported through Common University Data Ontario.

Laurier’s Strategic Action Plan and Academic Plan include commitments to diversify its student body and increase representation of students historically underrepresented on campus. This includes women. Laurier’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategic Plan highlights the use of an EDI Data Specialist to systematically collect, analyze and track demographic student data. The EDI Data Specialist develops and implement plans to address differential outcomes identified through data analysis with a view to identifying and reducing barriers to student success and wellness, including funding, bursaries and scholarships for students and student-athletes from equity-deserving groups.

Women's applications, acceptance/entry and participation at the university

Laurier is committed to ensuring that our university student body represents the diversity of the Canadian population and is accessible to all sectors of society. The recently launched Laurier Strategy sets the foundation for the institution’s success. A key metric of the plan is measured diversity within the student body across key demographics. The university encourages applications from all qualified persons including women, members of visible minorities, First Nations, Métis and Inuit, persons with disabilities, and sexual and gender minorities.

Laurier's Policy 6.1 Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct further affirms Laurier’s commitment to EDI and Indigeneity as part of its core values, and understands that the effective creation and dissemination of new knowledge must take place in an academic community that is free from harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct, where all members of our community have equal opportunity to be successful.

The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination against any person because of age; ancestry, colour, race; citizenship; ethnic origin; place of origin; creed; disability; family status; marital status (including single status); gender identity, gender expression; receipt of public assistance (in housing only); record of offences (in employment only); sex (including pregnancy and breastfeeding); and sexual orientation. Laurier complies with the act when it considers students for admission, participation, promotion and graduation.

Laurier’s Policy 8.4 Employment Equity outlines Laurier’s commitment to creating a culture of inclusion where women, among other equity deserving groups, feel accepted and experience a sense of belonging to ensure equal participation in the university.

Women's access schemes (i.e. mentoring, scholarships or other provisions)

Laurier offers a range of mentoring and targeted support schemes to support the success of women at the institution. These include:

• A variety of scholarships targeted toward women.
• Women in Leadership Laurier (WILL) has a primary focus to promote EDI while fostering the continuous growth and development of female students interested in various areas of business. WILL's student-to-student mentorship program partners Laurier students who possess similar interests and goals. Both mentors and mentees work closely together to foster a relationship that benefits the growth and development of each other.
• The Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion works to cultivate a culture on campus that respects and promotes EDI and social justice in all aspects of Laurier – from classrooms to residence communities.
• Laadliyan is a student run chapter supporting South Asian women through mentorship, awareness, and advocacy while building leadership skills, community, and meaningful impact on campus.
• The Laurier Women's Health Advocacy Association is dedicated to promoting women's health and raising awareness about the unique health issues and challenges that women at Laurier may face. Their mission is to educate everyone on these critical topics, ensuring that both women and men are informed and empowered to support women's health. Through a variety of events and activities, the association aims to spread knowledge and foster a community that prioritizes the well-being of women. By advocating for these issues, they hope to create a more inclusive and understanding environment for all.
• Launched in 2012, the Laurier Centre for Women in Science (WinS) is proud to champion women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The centre is building an inclusive scientific community through research, action and communication. Indeed, its ultimate goal is to make the centre redundant. WinS engages in a variety of initiatives to increase female participation in STEM fields, including the highly successful photo exhibit ‘Turning Tables in STEM’ featuring legendary giraffe researcher Anne Innis Dagg and ‘Building Equitable Trades’. Additionally, WinS members give numerous presentations about STEM and women in STEM, including TED talks and videos for the external community. WinS provides annual scholarships and grants to support women students in science and math-focused fields, and conducts research about gender parity in science and mathematical social sciences.

Initiatives to encourage applications by women in subjects where they are underrepresented

Of students who choose to self-identify, 53 percent of Laurier's current undergraduate enrolled are female identifying student, according to Ontario Universities' Application Centre data. Our Strategic Action Plan, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan, and Strategic Academic Plan outlines our commitments to increase the participation of diverse student groups, including women, particularly in fields were they are currently underrepresented. Laurier is home to a number of initiatives to increase the participation of women in these fields:

• Launched in 2012, the Laurier Centre for Women in Science (WinS) is proud to champion women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The centre is building an inclusive scientific community through research, action and communication. Indeed, its ultimate goal is to make the centre redundant. WinS engages in a variety of initiatives to increase female participation in STEM fields, including the highly successful photo exhibit ‘Turning Tables in STEM’ featuring legendary giraffe researcher Anne Innis Dagg and ‘Building Equitable Trades’. Additionally, WinS members give numerous presentations about STEM and women in STEM, including TED talks and videos for the external community. WinS provides annual scholarships and grants to support women students in science and math-focused fields, and conducts research about gender parity in science and mathematical social sciences.
• Laurier hosts the NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering (Ontario), Shohini Ghose. The goal of her program is to promote excellence in science through EDI. Ghose's program focuses on:
  • Increasing the participation of women in science and engineering at all levels through a research-based program of assessment, action and communication;
  • Building and maintaining an inclusive environment where all individuals and communities in science and engineering are supported and celebrated;
  • Identifying and addressing systemic barriers and biases faced by underrepresented groups in science and engineering;
  • Creating and normalizing a culture of inclusion in which all people, and not just a few, work together to maintain a community free of harassment and discrimination; and
  • Connecting women and underrepresented groups in science and engineering, provincially and nationally.

• Laurier offers a variety of scholarships targeted toward women.

Policy of non-discrimination against women

Laurier is committed to EDI and Indigeneity as part of its core values, and understands that the effective creation and dissemination of new knowledge must take place in an academic community that recognizes the dignity and value of all students, staff and faculty members. The university is committed to fostering a learning, scholarly and workplace environment that is free from harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct.

Laurier’s Policy for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct affirms that women within the Laurier community have a right to equal treatment and freedom from harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct based on the Protected Grounds of the Ontario Human Rights Code with respect to employment and the receipt of education and related services and facilities. Laurier’s Policy on Gendered and Sexual Violence outlines that Laurier is committed to fostering a university culture where:

• Gendered and sexual violence is unacceptable and not tolerated;
• All students, staff and faculty will be treated with compassion, dignity and respect;
• There are a range of supports available to survivors that are responsive to their intersecting identities, lived experiences and healing needs;
• All members of the university community have access to education about gendered and sexual violence;
• Individuals and groups who commit acts of gendered and sexual violence are held accountable through university procedures that follow principles of fairness; and
• Survivors will not be blamed for having experienced gendered and sexual violence.

Policy of non-discrimination for transgender people

Laurier’s Policy for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct affirms that transgender and gender diverse members of the Laurier community have the right to equal treatment and freedom from harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct based on the Protected Grounds of the Ontario Human Rights Code with respect to employment and the receipt of education and related services and facilities.  Additionally, Laurier Employment Equity Policy affirms Laurier's commitment to created a culture of inclusion where all employees, including those who identify as transgender, feel accepted and experience a sense of belonging.

Laurier’s gender inclusivity initiatives seek to ensure that all members of the university community have an inclusive experience at Laurier. Laurier strives to be a place in which all individuals can express their authentic selves and recognizes that respect and support for transgender and gender diverse people are central to their success and well-being.

"A thriving community where all members of the university can reach their potential" is a key component of Laurier’s  Strategic Plan for EDI. Part of this strategy is to develop and maintain an inclusive environment where everyone can experience a powerful sense of belonging. To support transgender and gender diverse members of the Laurier community, there are a number of programs and initiatives in place, including:

• Laurier offers a name change process for those seeking a documented or legal name change. Being identified by the correct name contributes to an individual's autonomy, dignity and safety. 
• The Student Wellness Centre offers gender-affirming health-care options.
• Laurier recognizes that everyone has a right to use the washroom in accordance with their gender identity and/or gender expression. The Inclusive Washroom Initiative works to address barriers to washroom access on campus.
• Current Laurier students seeking non-medical gender-affirming technology can participate in the Binder and Chest Form Program, which offers one free binder or chest form for eligible participants, as well as asynchronous education on the types of available non-medical gender-affirming technologies and how to use them safely and effectively to suit individual needs.

Women's mentoring programs

Laurier offers a variety of mentorship opportunities offering support to all women at the university. These include:

• Women in Leadership Laurier (WILL) has a primary focus to promote equality, diversity and inclusion while fostering the continuous growth and development of female students interested in various areas of business. WILL's student-to-student mentorship program partners Laurier students who possess similar interests and goals. Both mentors and mentees work closely together to foster a relationship that benefits the growth and development of each other.
• Launched in 2012, the Laurier Centre for Women in Science (WinS) is proud to champion women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The centre is building an inclusive scientific community through research, mentorship, action and communication. Indeed, its ultimate goal is to make the centre redundant. WinS engages in a variety of initiatives to increase female participation in STEM fields, including the highly successful photo exhibit ‘Turning Tables in STEM’ featuring legendary giraffe researcher Anne Innis Dagg and ‘Building Equitable Trades’. Additionally, WinS members give numerous presentations about STEM and women in STEM, including TED talks and videos for the external community. WinS provides annual scholarships and grants to support women students in science and math-focused fields, and conducts research about gender parity in science and mathematical social sciences.
• Laurier’s Women's Faculty Colleagues provide support, information and events related to issues affecting female faculty members, and offer direct support and advice to female faculty around equity issues. Working closely with the associate vice-president: EDI, women's faculty colleagues:
  • Provide support and information to all faculty members on issues affecting women-identified faculty (i.e. pregnancy/maternity leaves, reasonable course assignments, available support around harassment/discrimination, etc.);
  • Act as mentors to women-identified faculty to advise and assist on concerns about equity issues; and
  • Initiate activities within the university to promote discussion and understanding of issues affecting women-identified faculty.
• Laurier is also home to many student associations which to provide mentorship to female identifying students including:
  • Laurier Women in Computer Science
  • Laurier Women in Mathematics
  • Wilfrid Laurier University Women in Healthcare Society
  • Laurier Women Investment Society
  • Women in Law Laurier

Graduation rate of female students

Laurier’s Office of Institutional Research and EDI Data Specialist collect, analyze and track demographic student data, including graduation rates of women. In 2024, 58% of Laurier credentials were awarded to females in undergraduate and graduate programs.

Laurier's EDI Data Specialist develops and implements plans to address differential outcomes, including graduation rates, identified through data analysis with a view to identifying and reducing barriers to student success and wellness, including funding, bursaries and scholarships for students and student-athletes from equity-deserving groups.

Laurier excels at creating a culture of engagement that develops the whole person and builds reciprocal community relationships by fostering a highly personalized, equitable, diverse and inclusive community in which all members can experience the powerful sense of belonging that has distinguished Laurier throughout its history. It has many programs in place to ensure the success of women at the institution, from application all the way to graduation. These include scholarships, Women in Leadership Laurier, the Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Centre for Women and Trans People, the Laurier Brantford Women’s Centre, the Laurier Centre for Women in Science (WinS) and the NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering (Ontario).