Women's History Month, established in 1987 by the National Women's History Alliance, provides an opportunity for reflection on the historical and current inequities of women and girls in households across the globe.
Lancaster University recognises that there are still gaps in both the pay and experience for female staff members and access and attainment gaps for students in higher education.
The University publishes its Gender Pay Gap Report every year and is committed to understanding the causes of the Gender Pay Gap and taking appropriate action.
In addition, Lancaster University has held AdvanceHE's Athena Swan Bronze award since 2019, recognising its commitment to advancing gender equality within higher education and research. As well as the Institutional Athena Swan Bronze award, Lancaster is very proud to have achieved Athena Swan awards in all its Departments and Faculties.
The experience of living and working in the UK for women has been marred with difficulties and barriers. From the Suffragette Movement in the late 1800s to modern-day Gender Pay Gap reporting, it is sometimes hard to recognise the achievements and successes.
The UK government requires all employers with more than 250 employees to publish their Gender Pay Gap on an annual basis, however, this can provide an incomplete picture, with women being three times more likely to work part-time (ONS, 2019) and take on unpaid work such as caring responsibilities (DfE, 2019).
Gender equality is an issue across the globe with fewer opportunities for women in work, education, and political representation. Alongside economic representation, women and girls are also more likely to be victims of abuse and violence and more likely to pick up unpaid care and domestic work.
Much of the research undertaken at Lancaster University explores these and other imbalances, aiming to promote and develop strategies and policies across the globe, for the betterment and equality of every global citizen.
Each March, in recognition of Women's History Month, International Women's Day, and the achievements of our staff and students, Lancaster University calls upon its community to nominate Inspirational Women. From first-year students to well-established staff members and external advocates, we aim to celebrate all of our inspirational women.
Each nominee receives a celebration of their achievements, publicly displayed on campus throughout March, as well as copies of their nominators' comments.
The theme for Women's History Month 2026 is 'Leading the Change: Women shaping a sustainable future'. Sustainability isn't just about being eco-conscious and making ethical choices, but also about creating a positive change to all the environments around is, be those workplaces, research cultures, or social groups.
This year our nominated Inspirational Women will be celebrated across our digital screens o campus, honouring the impact and change they have made to those around them. Nominations were submitted by friends and colleagues, and artwork for the event was designed by local illustrator, Vaz Lockett.
Check back later in the month to see the full list of nominees, and watch out for the digital screens during March 2026.
The theme for Women’s History Month 2025 was ‘Moving Forward Together’.
The following women were all nominated for a blue plaque by people they had inspired:
The theme for Women’s History Month 2024 was ‘Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion’.
The following women were all nominated for a blue plaque by people they had inspired:
The theme for Women's History Month 2023 was 'Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories'.
The following women were all nominated for a blue plaque by people they had inspired:
