It turns out that International Women’s Day is more than a small printed line in your diary under March 8.
In fact, in China and Russia, it’s a national public holiday to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
This, of course, stirs questions like where is our public holiday and, more importantly, how does Melbourne compare in our celebration of International Women’s Day?
Brisbane celebrated its 25th year of the International Women’s Day Fun Run, an event that over 10,000 pink-clad people participated in on Sunday March 6. This event also raised over $260,000 this year to support women with breast cancer. In comparison, Melbourne’s efforts seem less vibrant.
With events such as a film premiere for The Will to Fly, a concert at Melba Hall in Parkville, and a double cabaret, Melbourne’s entertainment will hardly compete with the numbers of Brisbane’s fun run.
However, Melbourne does have a much wider range of events on offer than almost all other major Australian cities, and is on par with Sydney.
This includes a historical presentation on women’s rights, the AIM International Women’s Day Great Debate and a multitude of seminars and conferences, as well as inclusive gatherings including the Australian Human Resources Institute Breakfast, the UN Women National Committee Breakfast and the Women in Rotary IWD Breakfast.
These breakfasts are huge charity events, with the proceeds of the UN Women National Committee IWD Breakfast going towards the UN’s efforts to improve the lives of women and girls and the UN’s commitment to eliminate violence against women.
The Women in Rotary has had over one thousand attendees for each of the past three years and in 2015 their breakfast also raised over $60,000 for charity.
The National Union of Students Women’s Officer Heidi La Paglia is impressed by Melbourne’s involvement.
“I think that the events and celebrations held in Melbourne and around Victoria for International Women’s Day are definitely more than comparable to elsewhere,” she tells upstart.
“I think it is particularly good to see that a number of the events have a focus on discussing the disadvantages that face women in contemporary society and demanding improvements to women’s social and economic situation.”
This focus can be seen at the International Women’s Day Rally held outside the State Library, which is set to have 2000 participants, and the Women’s Rights at Work Festival running throughout the week at Victorian Trades Hall exploring the historical achievements of women in the workplace.
“[We] would like to see all of Australia and indeed the world combat gender inequity not just on 8 March, but every single day,” Elizabeth Thorne tells upstart, on behalf of the International Women’s Day Melbourne Collective.
“In 2015, the World Economic Forum predicted it would take until the year 2133 to achieve global gender parity. That’s simply unacceptable. We demand women’s liberation, decolonisation, and economic justice now!”
La Paglia also feels the government’s involvement to be lacking.
“It would be great to see decisions being made on International Women’s Day to increase the duration of weeks [that] individuals are able to receive paid parental leave, or to increase the funding provided to community women’s services, or to increase the remuneration for women in underpaid occupations such as childhood education,” she says.
The leading Australian organisation for women’s rights and gender equality, the International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA), would also like more action from the government on March 8.
“On International Women’s Day we are calling for the Australian Government to ensure that women’s rights organisations, both at home and abroad, are actively consulted and engaged in implementing and monitoring the Global Goals for Sustainable Development,” IWDA’s Marta Jasinska tells upstart.
“Alongside this, women’s rights organisations and networks must be supported and resourced so that local knowledge drives long-term solutions,” she says.
Although there is always more Melburnians can do for gender parity, the entertainment and events do have the same focus of celebrating and supporting women and promoting the need for gender equality that was central to the first International Women’s Day 105 years ago.
Still would have appreciated an extra public holiday though.
Sally O’Brien is a third year journalism student at La Trobe University and the Culture and Lifestyle editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @SallyOBrien42
