Loreto South Asia, long known for educating and empowering thousands of girls, has called for “cerebral equality”, stressing that every individual, regardless of gender, deserves to feel worthy and to be judged on merit.
Sister Monica Suchiang, South Asia province leader, said society continues to perceive women as struggling to balance “career and family”, a concern rarely projected onto men. This stereotype persists even as women consistently cross new thresholds.
Loreto’s message comes during the annual 16-day global campaign to end violence against women and girls, observed from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to December 10 (Human Rights Day). This year’s focus is online gender-based violence.
In a statement shared on social media, Loreto South Asia said: “At Loreto, we celebrate the divine and powerful mind within every woman. On this international day for the elimination of violence against women, we gently yet firmly remind the world: cerebral equality is an inherent gift, and respect for a woman’s intellect is the first step toward safeguarding her body and spirit. May our shared commitment to education and human dignity illuminate the path toward a future free from violence.”
“Dignity is non-negotiable. Equality is our mission,” it said.
Sister Suchiang emphasised that equality must translate into real opportunity. Women, she said, should not be judged by restrictive societal expectations but by their abilities. “Your intellectual or cerebral strength should not be measured in terms of your physical strength,” she added. “Even a man must be valued for his capabilities, not discriminated against or pitied in comparison to a woman.”
For decades, Loreto schools have nurtured independent thinking among girls. Through its Rainbow Homes programme, the institution has also supported large numbers of girls from disadvantaged backgrounds.
In a significant development for its global mission, two congregations of religious Sisters — the Congregation of Jesus (CJ) and the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(IBVM-Loreto) — have
formally merged. The decree of unification was publicly proclaimed on November 4 at a special mass at the Basilica of Loyola in Azpeitia, Spain. Calcutta marked the historic moment on November 22.