Canadian Federation of University Women

West Island women’s rights activist delivers powerful message at the UN

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

West Island resident Linda Sestock addressed the United Nations last week, delivering an urgent message about the fragility of women’s rights worldwide.

Speaking as president of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) at the 69th UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), Sestock emphasized that progress on gender equality requires constant vigilance.

A prominent West Island figure and respected community leader, Sestock has built a legacy of advancing women’s rights from her home base in the West Island to the international stage. Her work through local initiatives, combined with her leadership in CFUW, has established her as one of the region’s most influential voices in the fight for gender equality. Through years of dedicated service, she has transformed local advocacy into global impact, making the West Island proud on the world stage.

From the UN General Assembly Hall, Sestock voiced growing concerns about potential threats to women’s rights, particularly focusing on recent developments in academic and technological spheres. Her message resonated strongly with delegates from various nations where recent history has demonstrated how quickly women’s rights can be eroded. In a written response to Sestock’s address, Montreal-based Iranian women’s rights activist Atena Barforoushi reflected: “As an Iranian, I have witnessed first hand how freedoms can be stripped away overnight. Since the Islamic Republic’s revolution, Iranian women have endured systemic oppression, a stark reminder that progress is fragile. Canada has built a foundation of gender equality, but as Linda emphasized, we must remain vigilant.”

A key point of her address centred on the challenges facing women in academia. Sestock revealed that professors within CFUW have reported losing research grants after refusing to remove gender-specific language from their proposals. “We have a lot of professors in our organization, and people are losing grants because they are being asked to remove words like female and gender,” she explained.

Technology emerged as another critical concern, with Sestock highlighting the need for increased female representation in STEM fields. “We need to be hyper-focused on ensuring that women are educated and entering STEM fields, because right now algorithms are slanted towards men and can be used against women,” she stated.

The timing of her address coincided with International Women’s Day demonstrations, where protesters reinforced the message that vigilance in protecting women’s rights remains essential.

For the West Island community, Sestock’s appearance at the UN represents a significant achievement, bringing local leadership to the global stage. Her advocacy work continues to influence policy discussions at both national and international levels, reinforcing Canada’s commitment to advancing women’s rights and gender equality.

The session concluded with Sestock’s clear message that protecting and advancing women’s rights requires ongoing commitment from all sectors of society, making her voice from the West Island now part of the permanent record in the halls of the United Nations. n

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Linda Sestock named president of CFUW

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

The Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) named Linda Sestock as president, following decades of her dedication to the organization along with multiple women’s activist groups.

CFUW provides support to 98 women’s clubs across Canada. It has influenced decisions on subsidized child care in Canada, long term care facility policies, general education and education for the Indigenous population. The organization grants over a million scholarships annually to women getting their masters degree and PhD’s.

While in her busiest year yet in her professional career, Sestock was offered this position and gladly accepted the challenge. “This is an opportunity to bring my experience to the table and bring CFUW out of the background to the forefront. This is my chance to take it to the next level,” Sestock told The Suburban.

Sestock’s day starts early, answering e-mails and setting up meetings all before driving around town to meet clients and serve the community on multiple fronts with a focus on women’s groups. “I have a little time.. for tennis,” she admits.

When asked how she felt about her new role, Sestock responded that she sees herself “more as a supporter in this role, leadership is an opportunity to support more.”

As a known activist for women’s rights and a West Island community leader, The Suburban asked Sestock what her priority focus is at this time. “Autonomy over ones body, supporting women in politics to grow and to be part of the political voice, safety from being attacked for voicing an opinion,” she answered.

Sestock followed in her mother’s footsteps, always giving back to the community and says this is a value that was ingrained in her from a young age. n

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West Island activist invited to UN Women’s Commission

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

Beaconsfield local Linda Sestock, known throughout the West Island for her far reach in community service, has graduated from local initiatives to international efforts as she was invited to attend the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

As a longstanding member of the Montreal Lakeshore University Women’s Club, Sestock moved on to become president of the club for a time and is currently the vice president and deputy president of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) which includes six clubs in Quebec. She was invited along with a delegation of 20 CFUW women from across Canada to New York for the UN Commission on the Status of Women 68 (UNCSW68).

From March 11-22, Sestock will join forces with policy makers, government officials and activists from around the world to weigh in on proposed changes to improve the lives of women worldwide. “My mom came from a family of nine. She left school at age 14 and worked as a bell operator. Thanks to her mother’s efforts, Sestock became the first woman in her family to attend university. “I want to help other women have equal opportunity. Women represent fifty per cent of the population yet we are still fighting for basic things.”

The mission of the UNCSW68 is to accelerate the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with gender perspective.

Sestock advocates that the improvement of women’s conditions contributes to the overall health of a society. “Better conditions for women, means better conditions for the community.” n

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