Dr Lao joins new Jesuit commission addressing the role and work of women
Dr Maria Elissa Jayme Lao, director of the University Gender and Development Office, has been named a member of the newly established "Commission on the Role and Responsibilities of Women in the Society of Jesus." The announcement was made by Rev. Arturo Sosa SJ, superior general of the Jesuits on 8 March 2021 during the celebration of International Women's Day.
Dr Lao joins a distinguished group of global leaders, educators, and formators passionate and dedicated to inspiring change and progress in advancing women's participation in the Society's apostolic work.
“The Ateneo de Manila community is very pleased to have one of its own, Dr Melissa Lao, be named as part of the newly-formed Commission on the Role and Responsibilities of Women in the Society of Jesus. Dr Lao brings to the Commission a wealth of knowledge and experience working for inclusivity and diversity, having led our University's efforts towards gender equality in the past few years,” said University President Fr Roberto C Yap SJ. “She also represents not just the Ateneo community, but also the experiences and viewpoints of Filipino and Asian women. We wish Dr Lao and the Commission the best as they help make the Jesuit community more welcoming, inclusive, and collaborative.”
In the next three years, the commission will review the previous General Congregation mandates on the roles and works of women in the Jesuit order; identify best practices that embody mutual respect, care, and solidarity in the Jesuits' apostolic work; and make recommendations that encourage dialogue, formation, structural formation, and accountability.
In a letter, Fr Sosa recognized the role of women in the Society's apostolic mission. "Addressing the issues of women's participation from the perspective of collaboration in mission is an opportunity to understand more deeply where the Spirit is leading us and to give greater vitality to our life, which is deeply committed to the mission to the reconciliation and justice in all our apostolates."
With her membership in the committee, Dr Lao has carved out a distinctive honor of being one of the ten individuals identified by the Presidents of the Conferences of Major Superiors who will help forge closer collaboration between men and women in upholding the Society's mission of reconciliation and justice.
An Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science of the School of Social Sciences, Dr Lao specializes in labor migration, electoral politics, Philippine foreign policy, and social change. In addition to her teaching and research, she is an integral University citizen. Since 2018, she has served as chair of the University Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Committee, playing a critical role in amplifying women's voices and taking action in accelerating gender equality, inclusion, and diversity on campus. She was part of the technical working group that drafted the University's Code of Decorum and Administrative Rules on Sexual Harassment, Other Forms of Sexual Misconduct, and Inappropriate Behavior which was passed in 2020.
