SDG 10: Reduce Inequality
Reduce inequality within and among countries.
Laurier is committed to creating a culture of inclusion where our community feels accepted and can experience a powerful sense of belonging. To advance SDG 10, we strive to provide barrier-free, welcoming and affirming learning and working environments and engage in activities that enable all people to fully participate in every aspect of day-to-day life at the university and beyond.
See some of the work that Laurier completed in 2022 to advance SDG 10.
Led by Michael Woodford, a professor in the Faculty of Social Work, Thriving on Campus is the first study of its kind to explore the experiences, strengths, well-being and academic development of diverse 2SLGBTQ+ university students throughout Ontario.
Laurier flew the Progress Pride flag in June to mark Pride Month. Flying the Progress Pride flag represents Laurier's commitment to honouring the identities, experiences and contributions of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community and its continuing struggle for social, political and economic equality, as well as the university’s commitment to the inclusion of First Nations, Métis, Inuit, Black and racialized voices in 2SLGBTQQIA+ and other equity initiatives.
At Laurier’s Brantford and Waterloo campuses, the Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (CSEDI) works to create a space where all students can experience a sense of belonging.
Laurier’s Office of the Associate Vice-President: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion recently welcomed Eden Hennessey to the inaugural role of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) data specialist. In this role, Hennessey will coordinate the collection, maintenance, analysis and reporting of various data to guide EDI work. As one of 17 Canadian post-secondary institutions participating in the federal Dimensions Pilot Program, Laurier has placed an enhanced focus on data collection and analysis as a tool to inform EDI efforts.
Led by the Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group, the menstrual equity initiative provides access to free menstrual care products in select washrooms at Laurier’s Brantford and Waterloo campuses and the Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work building in Kitchener. Pads and tampons are available from coin-free dispensing units installed in 14 gendered and gender-neutral washrooms.
Oliver Masakure is an associate professor and program director of Laurier’s Business Technology Management program. He is also the associate director of Laurier’s Tshepo Institute for the Study of Contemporary Africa. Masakure’s research covers a broad range of topics in development economics, health economics and labour economics, and his latest research efforts are focused on telling the stories of young Black entrepreneurs.
Though focused on a diverse range of topics, from gender gaps in education to agriculture in Kenya, Muthoni Nganga’s research is connected by a central motivation: to explain and address inequities. An assistant professor of Economics at Laurier’s Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, Nganga was initially drawn to her discipline by its real-world applications.
May is Asian Heritage Month in the Province of Ontario. Proclaimed in 2005, Asian Heritage Month acknowledges and celebrates the rich histories, cultures, identities and experiences of Canadians of Asian descent. Learn how Laurier recognized Asisan Heritage Month.
Explore the work that Laurier research centres do to reduce inequality.
The International Migration Research Centre (IMRC) at Laurier serves as a node of excellence in scholarship and research, social and cultural debate and policy formulation pertaining to international migration. IMRC's mission is to create platforms for debate, research, policy analysis, community engagement and proposal development related to international migration and mobility at global, national, regional and local scales.
The Centre for Community Research, Learning and Action (CCRLA) is an interdisciplinary research centre located in Laurier’s Faculty of Science. Its work is focused on developing community partnerships and producing research, learning and action that advances community well-being and social justice. CCRLA facilitates community-based research by brokering linkages between community partners and Laurier student and faculty researchers. CCRLA provides an activity centre for community-focused and engaged research, social policy development and community action. The defining feature of the centre is its commitment to collaborative processes between university, community, industry and policy partners that honour the unique wisdom and skills of the non-academic community.
Learn more about Laurier initiatives in 2022 that helped advance SDG 10.
Laurier took a step toward Indigenization and reconciliation and equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) by hiring six new Black faculty members and four new Indigenous faculty members through the Inclusive Excellence initiative, with additional appointments of two Indigenous scholars in the coming year. These scholars will enhance research and teaching excellence at Laurier and strengthen collaborative and interdisciplinary initiatives.
The Inclusive Excellence initiative is part of Laurier’s broader Faculty Rejuvenation efforts to advance strategic academic and research goals, enhance academic excellence and student experience, and strengthen collaborative and interdisciplinary initiatives.
Laurier is a thriving academic community where EDI and Indigeneity are part of our core values as a learning institution. We recognize that teaching and learning, and the creation and dissemination of new knowledge, must take place in an institution that recognizes the dignity and value of each and every one of its students, staff and faculty members. We know that we must make a more concerted effort to realize our goals. In pursuit of these goals, we have put an action plan in place for which we hold ourselves accountable. These actions are based on research and consultations recently undertaken within the Laurier community.
In 2019, Laurier pledged its support for the new Dimensions: EDI Charter. The university was selected as one of 17 Canadian institutions to participate in the two-year federal Dimensions Pilot Program. The pilot program seeks to foster transformative change within the research ecosystem at Canadian postsecondary institutions by addressing systemic barriers and inequities faced by members of historically and currently underrepresented and/or excluded groups, including but not limited to women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, members of racialized groups and 2SLGBTQQIA+ persons.
The Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (CSEDI) 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. The centre provides support, education and spaces for students to find community and engage in EDI initiatives.
As part of Laurier’s commitment to EDI, the Canada Research Chair (CRC) Program EDI Action Plan outlines how Laurier intends to identify, prevent and remove barriers to inclusion for those who identify as women, having disabilities, racialized, Indigenous and part of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community in the CRC Program.