Women reflect and celebrate IWD
Women’s groups across Australia are celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD) this Sunday, March 8.
This year’s international theme focuses on addressing violence against women and girls.
Across the globe statistics on health, violence and financial earnings show women are still significantly worse off than their male counterparts.
An oft-quoted figure states women do two-thirds of the world’s work but receive only 10 percent of the world’s income and own less than one percent of the world’s land.
Data gathered by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2005 indicates 12 percent of Australian females have experienced sexual abuse and 10 percent have experienced physical abuse before the age of 15.
The pay gap recorded in 2005 between women and men in Victoria was 18.92 percent.
A 2006 VicHealth study found that intimate partner violence against women in Australia is the -œlargest preventable contributor to disease burden in women aged 15-“44 years.
This year women’s groups are speaking up on a number of issues facing women in the state and internationally.
The Women’s Information Referral Service (WIRE) is hosting a sold-out discussion dinner looking at the cultural impacts of body image and how to make positive change.
-œWithout women, we all go hungry is the catchcry of the International Women’s Development Agency IWD dinner to be held on March 22. The function, at the Grand Hyatt, will see 20 renowned female chefs and 12 female winemakers catering for around 400 guests.
The Queen Victoria Women’s Centre will celebrate IWD with a public Women’s Market in QV Square on Saturday March 6.
The bushfires will also not be escape women’s attention. Local feminist group, Radical Women will hold an IWD forum titled In the wake of Victoria’s fires: feminists examine the cause and solutions.
info: Queen Victoria Women’s Centre qvwc.org.au, IWDA iwda.org.au, WIRE wire.org.au
Radical Women’s forum is Wednesday March 11 at 7pm at the Solidarity Salon, Brunswick. Visit [email protected]
