International Women’s Day in Bondi

This morning I celebrated International Women’s Day in Bondi at the Waverley Council’s ‘Women by the Waves’ Breakfast.

This great initiative by Waverley Council celebrates the central role of women in our society and promotes this year’s international theme of ‘Empowering Women to End Poverty by 2015’.

Mayor Sally Betts opened the event with an inspirational speech about the achievements of Australian women – noting that while women are overall outnumbered by men in Australian politics; at Waverley Council they fill nine of the twelve seats.

“In Waverley,” Sally said “Women hold up more than half the sky.”

Councillor Yvonne Coburn spoke about one of her great passions, the Hunger Project, the nominated charity for this year’s breakfast. The Hunger Project works to empower women through micro-financing of village projects to free-up time for education for themselves, and their children. Her moving presentation showed how all of us, with such little effort, can make significant, lasting change to the lives of those living in difficult circumstances in the developing world.

Local artist, Carol Ruff, spoke of the incredible journey of her mother, Jan Ruff O’Herne, who at the age of 19 was taken prisoner of war by the Japanese in Indonesia. She was forced into the role of a ‘comfort woman’, and remained silent about her experience for the next 50 years. In 1992, upon seeing a TV documentary on the plight of other female POW’s, Jan broke her silence and testified at a public hearing into war crimes. She has since written a book on her experience, and continues to campaign along side Korean ‘Comfort Women’ in the fight for recognition and compensation from the Japanese government.

International Women’s Day will be celebrated on Monday March 8, across Australia and around the world.

So make a difference, think globally and act locally. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.

International Women’s Day is complemented by International Men’s Day which is held throughout the world on November 19.

To find out more about the hunger project see http://www.thp.org.au/home_THPA.html