Thousands of Australians will come together across the country today, Friday 8 March, to mark International Women’s Day (IWD) at UN Women Australia’s events.
UN Women Australia’s IWD events are among the largest celebrations of IWD in the country, bringing together people across Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and online to celebrate global achievements, agitate for change and raise life-changing funds to support the world’s women and girls.
The events will feature an exclusive virtual presentation from Michele Bullock, Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, engaging in a rare conversation about her passion for inclusion, diversity and belonging, and her perspectives on diverse and equal leadership.
Global business trailblazer and advocate, Mellody Hobson will also feature in an exclusive interview with founder and host of Australia’s number on finance podcast, She’s on the Money, Victoria Devine.
Audiences will also hear from an inspiring line-up of speakers who are working to re-shape the system and remove the barriers so all women and girls can unlock their potential and drive better outcomes for us all.
The theme for International Women’s Day 2024 is ‘Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress’, based on the priority theme for the United Nations 68th Commission on the Status of Women, exploring the pathways to greater economic inclusion for women and girls everywhere.
Local speakers include:
- SYDNEY: Moana Hope, AFLW Powerhouse & Host of the Entrepreneur Her radio show
- PERTH: Rabia Siddique, Human Rights Lawyer & Former British Army Officer
- PERTH: Lacey Flipich, Financial Educator & Founder of Money School
- BRISBANE: Chiou See Anderson, President, National Council of Women Australian & inaugural member of the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce
- MELBOURNE: Rachel Yang, Partner at Giant Leap
- MELBOURNE: Nicola Roxon, Chair, HESTA (Industry Super Fun)
- MELBOURNE: Cathy Scalzo, Deputy Chair, Australians Investing in Women
- CANBERRA: Mereseini Rakuita, Principal Strategic Lead – Pacific women and Girls, SPC
- CANBERRA: Katja Henaway, Founder & CEO, Women’s Business
Event details:
- SYDNEY: International Convention Centre, 11:30 AM (AEDT)
- MELBOURNE: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 11:30 AM (AEDT)
- CANBERRA: National Convention Centre, 11:30 AM (AEDT)
- BRISBANE: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, 10:30 AM (AEST)
- PERTH: Optus Stadium, 11:30 AM (AWST)
Media enquiries:
Jessica Lewington
External Engagement Manager
UN Women Australia
Jessica.lewington@unwomen.org.au
0451 912 598
About UN Women Australia
UN Women Australia is a non-profit organisation committed to achieving gender equality for all women, empowering them to contribute their unique knowledge and skills to help create a better world for themselves, their families and their communities. Working in over 100 countries across the globe, UN Women runs vital programs that provide women and girls access to technology, training programs and safe spaces, empowering women and girls to obtain an education, become leaders in their community and build a brighter, more equal future for us all.
Count Her In: Key Statistics
- Around 2.4 billion women of working age are not afforded equal economic opportunity as men[1]
- Nearly 1 in 3 adolescent girls from the poorest households around the world has never been to school[2]
- More than 342 million women and girls could be living below the poverty line by 2030[3]
- An additional $360 billion per year is needed to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment [4]
- Only 26% of countries have a comprehensive system to track gender-budget allocations[5]
About International Women’s Day
Every year, International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated around the world on the 8th of March.
International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when all women are recognised for their achievements. International Women’s Day was first born out of labour movements at the turn of the twentieth century in North America and across Europe.
Since those early days, International Women’s Day has grown in prominence and reach, touching women in every corner of the world. The growing international women’s movement has helped make International Women’s Day a central point for action, to build support for women’s rights and their full participation in the economy, politics, community and in everyday life.
[1] World Bank (2022). Women, Business and the Law 2022.
[2] UNICEF (2020). Addressing the learning crisis: An urgent need to better finance education for the poorest children
[3] UN Women (2023). Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2023.
[4] UN Women (2023). Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2023.
[5] UN Women (2022). Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2022.