International Women's Day

"There's the northern star you can see in Estonia. And there's us, opening up and telling stories to each other"
Valentina, Melton South Single Mothers Lunch Group.

International Women's Day is a time for celebrating and asserting women's political and social rights and for reviewing the progress we have made.

At Women's Health West we honour the radical tradition of International Women's Day and the efforts of women from earlier generations, by recognising the ongoing struggles for women's equality.

These include the struggles for equal pay, family-friendly workplaces and the right to control over reproductive decision-making, and an end to violence against women and children and discrimination. They inspire us to continue our commitment to fight for equality for all women.

The day is also for celebrating our achievements and our connections with one another as women. In 2006 we focus our celebration on women and mothering - whether as a mother, sister, daughter, aunt, grandmother or friend.

We have focussed on what we have in common in our mothering role as well as some of our differences , such as our cultural background, sexuality and ability, and the ongoing discrimination we face as mothers because of these factors.

The colours purple, green and white are the colours of the women's movement in Australia, and of feminist movements since the suffragettes first fought for women's right to vote. Traditionally, the purple symbolises dignity and self-respect, green symbolises hope and growth, and white symbolises purity of purpose.

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