Page 1020 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 19 March 2013
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In addition to these awards, I also announced the opening of applications for the inaugural Audrey Fagan violence prevention grants, and these grants provide funding of up to $15,000 for projects to progress one or more of the objectives in the ACT prevention of violence against women and children strategy.
On occasions such as this there are opportunities to reflect as a society on the work that still needs to be done towards gender equity. It is also an opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the significant progress that has been made and the people who make these reforms possible. It is a reminder that we all have a role to play in realising this vision—how we raise our children, how we treat our friends, family and colleagues and indeed, how we conduct ourselves on a daily basis here in the Assembly and how we go about our daily lives in society.
On International Women’s Day we take the chance to reflect on all women in our community—whether they are in the paid workforce or they are working as stay-at-home mums, whether they are teenaged, middle aged or mature aged, it matters not. We as a community need to have regard and respect for all women in our community.
I table the following paper:
ACT Women’s economic and financial progress—Ministerial statement, 19 March 2013.
I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
MRS JONES (Molonglo) (12.02): I thank the minister for drawing the attention of the Assembly to the state of women’s economic independence and financial security in the ACT, especially in light of the recent celebration of International Women’s Day for 2013 and in this our centenary year.
Friday, 8 March was International Women’s Day, a day for all women, a day to reflect on what is good about our lives and what we can still do as a society to advance the aspirations and needs of women here and abroad.
The first International Women’s Day occurred on 19 March 1911, so we are celebrating an event that is over a century old, but we are really celebrating the contribution—and role—of women to the life of humanity since it first began. In so many ways, from the home to the workplace to public life and in the community, women set the agenda; and some are, by their nature, very powerful. Women make many economic and directional decisions about family life, and increasingly, thanks to the work of so many women of goodwill, women in modern Western democracies are taking up the challenge of career and economic advancement.
This year the theme for the day was ending violence against women. UN Women Australia raised significant funds this year for women in Papua New Guinea, in particular supporting the work of their critical services initiative.
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