Sheena Hanley

Sheena Hanley was appointed the ETFO Equity Officer in June 2008, and in that capacity, issued her report, Promoting Equity and Social Justice, in October 2009.

Sheena Hanley brings a breadth of experience in the area of equity, social justice and advancing rights of women; no one more is respected by colleagues throughout the world for the work she did in every region of the globe.

Sheena served as President of the Canadian Teachers Federation from 1987 to 1989. Upon completing her term as President, Sheena joined the staff of World Confederation of Organizations of the Teaching Profession. In 1993, with the establishment of Education International Sheena was appointed Deputy General Secretary, and as such she was the first woman to serve as a Deputy General Secretary of an international trade union. As Deputy she was responsible for equity, trade union and human rights and communication.

Sheena is held in high esteem, not only because of the senior leadership roles she held in Canada and internationally, but the work she pursued while in those roles. The following are three examples of her work each of which gives evidence of her determination and her commitment to equity and social justice:

Sheena travelled together with Steve Sinnott, then Deputy General Secretary of National Union of Teachers, into Ethiopia to demand visitation rights into one of the most notorious prisons, to ensure the safety of Dr. Taye Woldesemayat, General Secretary of the Ethiopian National Teachers Union – arrested for advancing the rights of teachers.

Sheena was part of one of the first teams to enter into Afghanistan, first into the refugee camps in Pakistan and then into Kabul to visit schools, ensuring they were operational and that girls had access to those programs.

Sheena through Education International led an international campaign against child labour – disclosing the worst and most dangerous forms of child labour and trafficking of girls. In each of these instances, Sheena courageously advanced the rights of girls and defended some of the most basic human rights in very challenging circumstances. 

Sheena also represented Education International at the International Labour Organization when negotiations were held to adopt the Declaration of Rights and Principles at Work, which includes two equity conventions on equal remuneration and discrimination.

She knows teacher organizations not only across Canada and but has worked with countless national teacher organizations internationally to advance equity as well as trade and human rights.