A global day of recognition and celebration from across developed and developing countries for women’s rights and participation in social, political and economic processes.

Celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) 8 March 2008, with the theme “100 years of active women in paid and unpaid work” not just focusing on our struggle but also highlighting the achievements.

The theme reminds us of the many roles of women – at work, at home and in the community.Today we have the first female Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard who for brief periods has been acting Prime Minister sending a message to the young women that there are opportunities to make a difference.

Women participation in public and business sectors

Women participation in the Federal Government are 4 women in the federal cabinet; 3 in the outer ministry and 3 parliamentary secretaries from a number of 42 representatives in the Australian Federal Parliament.

There are only 4 women chairing ASX200 companies and 6 Chief Executive Officers. Only 50% of the ASX200 companies have one woman board director as compared to 89.4% in the United States and 78% in the United Kingdom.

In 2007 NSW Government there are 13 women in the Legislative Council and 25 in the Legislative Assembly.

Women in the NSW public sector executive positions represent 35.7% and 36% of the NSW public sector board and committee positions.

Local Government in 2007 in NSW, 26% of the elected councillors were women and 5% of general managers and 24 % of senior managers were women.

Though some changes and improvements have been made still there are issues confronting women of the workplace today: inequity of pay; distribution of household and family responsibilities; gendered workforce and glass ceiling.

Women contribute two-thirds of the total value of unpaid work – housework, caring for children and other family responsibilities and volunteer work in the community.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics figures indicate that in 2005, there were 4.7m women in the workforce comprising 45% of Australia’s entire labour force; 51% of professionals in Australia are women; university graduates in education 56% are women;33% women represent the small business operators and are the majority or part owners of nearly one-half (46%) of all small businesses.

International Women’s Day started in New York 100 years ago when 15,000 marched for the right to vote, a decent wage, and an end to sweat shops and child labour.

IWD was recognised in 1911 for the first time in Austria; Denmark; Germany and Switzerland.

The United Nations designated 1975 as the International Women’s Day on 8 March by holding events that honour women.

In 1928 the first Australian IWD March was staged at Domain Sydney protesting for equal pay for equal work and better working conditions.

Important dates for Australian women are:

1921 – Edith Cowan elected to the Legislative Assembly of Western Australian Parliament thus becoming the first Australian woman parliamentarian.

1943 – Dame Enid Lyons and Senator Dorothy Tangney elected to the Federal Parliament

1976 – Senator Margaret Guilfoyle becomes the first woman to be a member of the Cabinet and also administer a government department.

1986 – Senator Janine Haines became the first woman to head an Australian political party.

1990 – Carmen Lawrence became the first female Premier of an Australian state.

1995 – Jennie George appointed first woman President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

2001 – Jenny Macklin becomes Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

2007 – Julia Gillard becomes Deputy Prime minister of Australia and Julie Bishop becomes Deputy Leader of the Federal Opposition.

There are other many women who juggle paid and unpaid work that epitomise the IWD 100 year anniversary theme. It is women like these that we celebrate and acknowledge this International Women’s Day.

Finally, no IWD is complete without a march, so put on your walking shoes and assemble at Sydney Town Hall by 11am by marching to Hyde Park north via George and King streets.

UNIFEM breakfast on Friday 7 March at darling Harbour with ABC TV’s Phillipa McDonald as the host with proceeds going to South East Asia and Pacific projects.

Two prominent women from the Middle East are the speakers one from Israel and one fron Palestine.

There were 121 councils that received funding for IWD activities. Contact your council for activities that you would like to participate in.
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