What does International Women’s Day mean to our city’s changemakers?
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What does International Women’s Day actually do for women?
What should the day achieve? Does it need to do more? We ask some of Canberra’s female leaders ahead of 8 May.
Katy Gallagher, Senator for the ACT and Minister for Women, Finance and the Public Service
What does IWD mean to you?
Women’s rights have come a long way over the years, but we still have a long way to go until we can call Australia an equal country.
To me, International Women’s Day is not just about celebrating women’s successes, but also recommitting to the challenge before us: protecting the rights of women and girls around the globe.
What should the day achieve?
We heard the message at the election that women are tired of hearing the same stories and not seeing significant progress on women’s issues.
That’s why I think one of the most important KPIs on this day is making sure that we give a platform to the voices of women from diverse backgrounds or marginalised communities, so that we are hearing from them directly and deliver policies that make a real difference.
Do you think the day materially advances equality for women?
I don’t think that a lot of people in our country realise the reality and extent of how far behind women are in our country. So using IWD to elevate, remind and recommit is really important.
In Australia we have a gender pay gap that means women take home less in pay than men. They have less superannuation, less assets and single women over 55 are the largest growing demographic entering homelessness.
Women’s leadership remains an issue and Australia’s international gender equality ranking has slipped to 43 out of 146, below Bulgaria, Ecuador, Panama, Slovenia and Jamaica.
While a single day on the calendar can’t change this on its own, what it can do is help to sharpen our focus on the work we still need to do and remind us that progress is not inevitable – it requires constant vigilance to make sure hard fought gains are not lost.
What will you be doing on 8 March?
Like many women around Australia, I’ll be going to work as usual on IWD. The 8th of March is a parliamentary sitting day so I’ll be up at Parliament delivering on the promises we took to the election as a member of our nation’s first majority women government. Every day I spend in parliament is another day I can advocate for the issues facing Australian women.
If you could change anything about the day what would that be?
It would be good to have a day when we’re able to say we live in a gender equal Australia. We can’t do that right now—we’ve never been able to—but one day!
Frances Crimmins Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Canberra
What does IWD mean to you?
IWD was born on the back of the women’s suffrage and the women’s rights movement. At its heart what IWD means to me is about ensuring the voices and actions of women through civil society, are free to continue without fear of persecution, towards attaining parity in political, social, cultural, and economic power.
Frances Crimmins
What should the day achieve?
IWD should be an acknowledgement and celebration of the work of women who came before, what it should achieve is actions and advocacy, highlighting we are still a long way from achieving gender equality. In December 2022, 10 women were murdered in 20 days in this country with very little community outcry, on IWD we need to not gloss over the true state of gender equality in Australia.
Do you think the day materially advances equality for women?
I am concerned IWD has been used as a platform to allow an easy way for governments, institutions, corporates etc. to make statement of women’s equality with no action or accountability to back the self-congratulatory spin . I loved the activism last year of two women in the UK who created a Bot (@paygapapp) to access the free information on companies’ gender pay gap and every social media post from companies on IWD was followed by a post created by the Bot highlighting the gender pay gap of these companies. It thinks that was a brilliant idea, women using tech to disrupt the mediocracy in social media posts on IWD.
What will you be doing on 8 March?
YWCA Canberra has always used IWD to lead discussions on critical issues impacting the lives of women in Canberra, such as older women’s homelessness, young women’s experience of sexual harassment, the financial impact on women during COVID . This year YWCA Canberra will be looking at this year’s IWD theme of Cracking the Code: Innovation for a gender equal future, from the perspective of how we can crack the code to meaningful wages growth in the early learning education and care sector. Our short video and panel, Real value: early childhood education, will focus on the trifold contribution to early childhood educators to our economy, our workforce, and the generation and explore its role in closing the gender wage gap.
If you could change anything about the day what would that be?
We need to lift our game on IWD and move from the tokenistic talk, fancy lunch or breakfast, sure hold these events but be ready to listen and learn from diverse voices of women and their lived experience of gender inequality in Canberra. Also donate your corporate lunch money to a local women’s organisation, poverty is a gendered issue and there is many women in Canberra who need support from a specialist women’s organisation.
Danielle Young, Deputy Chair Toora Women
What does IWD mean to you?
IWD reminds me each year how far we have come and yet how far we still have to go for women globally. Women face unique challenges and bring specialised abilities to everyday life.
IWD provides an opportunity to celebrate the many accomplishments of women and the essential contribution we make to the global community. It is also a day when we identify some barriers that still need to be removed for women to aspire and achieve their visions for their lives.
Danielle Young
What should the day achieve?
The day should be about lifting women up, and this will mean different things for different women. For some, it may be joining with women in taking action to change women’s lives or donating to an organisation that makes a difference in uplifting and empowering women. For others, it will be about turning up, showing support, and making new connections.
Do you think the day materially advances equality for women?
It is an event that highlights areas where barriers still exist for women and generates conversation about how those barriers need to be addressed. I think it is one way in which we are working to lift women up.
What will you be doing on 8 March?
I’ll be at a breakfast for women in cyber for my day job—this is about recognising the achievements of women. Then as the deputy chair of Toora Woman, I will be at a charity event which will be focused on how we can use the attention of IWD to help those in our city who are in need. There are more women than people realise, struggling with homelessness in Canberra who need the support and services specifically designed for and provided by Women. I would encourage anyone who can to donate on IWD as you will be practically helping a woman in Canberra!
If you could change anything about the day what would that be?
I’d like to see it be a day where we highlight some of the needs of women within our community and give others a chance to donate and practically elevate and empower women.
Nip Wijewickrema, founder, social enterprise GG’s Flowers
What does IWD mean to you?
Anyone that knows me, knows that any kind of celebration brings me joy. I love celebrating anything and everything and IWD is not the exception. Celebrating women is my jam.
What should the day achieve?
Given the three pillars of the day is to celebrate achievements, raise awareness and take action, I think if we’ve achieved them, we’ve done pretty well. But I’ve loved watching the achievements evolve every year.
Do you think the day materially advances equality for women?
At the end of the day, if sticking a purple pin on your blazer or holding a morning tea full of purple snacks and celebrating all the amazing women at your workplace is classified as materially advancing equality…I’m totally here for it, purple pin and cupcake in hand.
Nip Wijewickrema. Photo by Tim Bean
What will you be doing on 8 March?
I’m so excited to be delivering a keynote at the Pharmacy Guild’s International Women’s Day dinner. A room full of Canberra female pharmacists…yes please!
If you could change anything about the day what would that be?
I would love to see a focus on women in business and a focus on building wealth and financial stability for women. The stats for female run businesses are both inspiring and shocking all in the same breath. I hate that building wealth and running successful profitable businesses is a hush hush topic yet no one bats an eyelid when men talk about it. Profit ain’t a dirty word!
