Communities Women's Interests team is gearing up for another exciting and empowering International Women's Day (IWD) in 2024.
IWD is held on 8 March each year. IWD is a chance for us to celebrate women's achievements and to highlight the work that still needs to be done to achieve gender equality in Western Australia.
We will be promoting the messages of IWD all week on our digital channels leading up to the day and celebrating the theme - Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress.
IWD recognises that women's economic empowerment is central to a gender equal world. When women are given equal opportunities to earn, learn and lead – entire communities thrive.
Despite high levels of education, women in Western Australia continue to face barriers to workforce participation, along with a highly gendered labour market and widespread undervaluing of care work. This inequity has far reaching impacts, and can lead to entrenched disadvantaged, financial insecurity and poverty.
The theme closely aligns with Stronger Together: WA's Plan for Gender Equality and supports the principles and four priority areas of the Plan.
Our Women's Interests team plays an important role in accelerating gender equality and achieving the outcomes set out in the plan. They also share a common vision for making a difference to the lives of all women in WA.
This year, we've asked some members of our Women's Interests team to share their thoughts on what working on programs and initiatives that advance gender equality or IWD means to them.
"There is so much evidence that a more gender-equal world would benefit everyone – all genders, families, communities and the economy.
"Working towards achieving that is important for me - to feel like I'm making a difference and to build on the progress that's been made by previous generations to change our culture for the better."
Elaine Dowd, Acting Principal Policy Officer
"150 years ago in Australia women had no political voice, few protections from poverty or harm and Indigenous women had no rights at all.
"Put simply, I want to build on the work that women before me have been working on for over a century. That is, toward an Australia where women and girls can take their rightful place as equals with all others."
Adelaide Follington, Principal Policy Officer
"IWD means a lot of work! However, it's genuinely work with purpose and I enjoy being part of a large movement recognising the achievements of women and highlighting the inequities women face.
"IWD is not just a State or National event, it's one where the whole world combines with a common purpose. And I'm proud to feed into that by doing our part here in Western Australia."
Donna Fuller, Strategy Officer
"For me, IWD is a time to highlight the strength and power of women and girls!
"It's an opportunity to showcase the efforts and work toward equal rights, equal pay, equal recognition (and more). It's also a time to reflect on how far we have come in terms of what has been achieved, but to also see how much work is still needed in this space!"
Josie MacDonald, Strategy Officer
"I'm really proud of what we have achieved over the past 12 months in the Women's Interest's team.
"There has been a real shift for gender equality to be considered as a key economic driver and I'm excited by the opportunities we have been presented with to work across government with our partners to embed gender equality considerations in policy, procurement and practice."
Nikki Kozulin, Women's Interests Manager
Find out more about the work of our Women's Interests team on our website.
IWD is a great chance for us to celebrate the achievements of women and highlight the work that still needs to be done to achieve gender equality in Western Australia.
More information on IWD and ideas on how you can get involved in the community, visit our IWD website.
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