International Women’s Day highlights the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and calls for action to accelerate equality.
The theme of this year’s global event (held on Wednesday 8 March) is Embrace Equity and to mark the occasion, we asked 2 women who are active in the Boroondara community to share their thoughts on the topic.
Lou calls the tune on leadership
Lou Orlando is a singer-songwriter, a member of the FReeZA musical team at City of Boroondara’s Youth Hub and a keen international traveller. She believes the key to realising a more equitable future lies in leadership.
'Having females in positions of leadership is important to today’s society, especially for the younger generation,' says Lou. 'It gives young women a role model to look up to and gives women the confidence to step out of their comfort zone and into the leadership world. When women become leaders, they provide a different set of skills and imaginative perspectives … that can drive effective solutions to many problems in our society and environment.'
Words of wisdom from Rita
Rita Singh came to Australia from Fiji in 1980 and held a variety of roles until retiring last year.
In 2001, she earned the first of a series of qualifications that led to her current position as a volunteer education coordinator at Shirdi Sai Sansthan Melbourne, a Hindu temple in Camberwell. There she teaches young people the importance of values like integrity and equity.
Rita’s advice for younger women includes words we could all live by: 'Accept failures in life as they are great teachers and make you more determined to reach your goals. Be brave and speak out if you see something that is not right,' she says. 'Don’t let others control you and don’t be fearful. And remember that you don’t need the approval of others to be happy in life.'
Celebrating International Women’s Day in the community
To mark International Women’s Day and show our support for the occasion, we are illuminating the Hawthorn Arts Centre. The building will be lit up in the colour purple, one of the signature colours of International Women’s Day since the movement began in 1911.
Don’t miss out on the chance to see this architectural icon ‘embrace equity’ by turning purple – symbolising justice, dignity, and loyalty to the cause of International Women’s Day.