THE first International Women’s Day (IWD) was held in Europe on 8 March 1911 as a way of uniting globally to push for suffrage and workers’ rights for women.
The movement spread and in 1928 it was celebrated for the first time in Australia, with calls for equal pay, an eight-hour working day for shop girls, and paid leave.
The theme of this year’s IWD is ‘Balance the Scales’, with emphasis on the urgent need for a fair, inclusive, and accessible justice system for every woman and girl.
The theme particularly serves to highlight the ongoing barriers to justice that many women face, advocating for safety and equality.
In Camden Haven, an IWD event has been organised this year by the Rotary Club of Laurieton, under the guidance of long time Rotarian Jenny Peters.
Jenny has been a travel agent for 55 years, beginning her career at a time when women generally only received 75 percent of the male wage for doing the same job.
Alongside her female contemporaries she was a trailblazer for women in the travel industry.
“For me IWD celebrates and recognises what women have achieved over the years in every sector of society, but it also serves as a reminder of what more is still to come,” Jenny said.
This year’s IWD event is a breakfast at Laurieton United Services Club on 8 March at 8am with guest speaker Brittani Michelle from Wauchope, who has first-hand experience of gender-based inequality through her extensive volunteer work in Africa, India, and Nepal.
Tickets are $25 per person including breakfast, and can be booked by contacting the club on 6559-9110.
By Rachael THORPE
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