International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day, celebrated 8 March each year, is a day to acknowledge the great achievements of women, to challenge stereotypes and bias, forge positive visibility of women, and to accept, understand and influence less progressive beliefs and ideas. From the World Economic Forum’s 2017 Global Gender Gap report, findings suggest that closing ‘the gap’ is over 200 years away – this is such an important time to keep motivated and strive together for gender equality.

Women are standing up stronger than ever on issues they believe in, and have in the past felt too intimidated to push for. Movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp are fuelled by the global activism for women’s equality, standing up for sexual harassment, unfair treatment and feeling unsafe.

International Women’s Day, celebrated 8 March each year, is a day to acknowledge the great achievements of women, to challenge stereotypes and bias, forge positive visibility of women, and to accept, understand and influence less progressive beliefs and ideas. From the World Economic Forum’s 2017 Global Gender Gap report, findings suggest that closing ‘the gap’ is over 200 years away.

On Tuesday 6 March, I was lucky enough to be one of the four students, along with Ms Hyman, to attend an Australian Defence Force High Tea which celebrated Women in Leadership and reminded us of our ability to excel in any area we may choose. We heard from accomplished women in the ADF who shared with us their stories, how they overcame challenges, built resilience and more but most importantly how as a woman in today’s society we can 'have it all’ and we should aspire to nothing less.

This International Women’s Day was important to acknowledge a society that accepts progress and encourages movement towards better equality for women through fair treatment, pay, media time, sport recognition, gender stereotypes, sponsorships, leadership positions and opportunities for success, is a society we all must work toward achieving.