At our Senior School Assembly this week, we celebrated International Women’s Day.  

Ms Amanda Mandie OAM – Koala Kids Executive Director spoke to our students and shared her experience of creating Koala Kids. Amanda also spoke about the challenges she has faced throughout her life and how she has overcome them. It was an inspirational speech and Amanda certainly left an indelible mark on the audience as to the power of chasing your dreams and being relentless in the pursuit of them.  

Scarlett Shelton, one of our School Co-Captains, also spoke to the girls and commenced her speech with “There are two powers in the world, one is the sword, and the other is the pen. However, there is a third power stronger than both, that of women.”  

This quote was originally from Malala Yousafzai, a 26-year-old woman who has devoted her life to the education of woman and further, putting women at the forefront of leading this world. Malala is a prime example of a resilient individual with a passion for including women on the journey of elevating one another and fighting for equity and justice. Yousafzai is a Pakistani female education activist and the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate at the age of 17. She is the world’s youngest Nobel Prize laureate. 

Last week we saw the release of the employer gender pay gaps report by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). This marks a historic step towards transparency and accountability in addressing gender inequality. Senator Katy Gallagher said the publication of employer gender pay gaps is a pivotal moment for gender equality in Australia.  

The results show that: 

• 30% of employers have a median gender pay gap between the target range of -5% and +5%. 
• 62% of median employer gender pay gaps are over 5% and in favour of men. 
• The rest (8%) are less than -5% and in favour of women. 
• Across all employers, 50% have a gender pay gap of over 9.1%. 

WGEA CEO, the Hon. Mary Wooldridge said. “All employers should be aiming for a gender pay gap within +/-5%. This range allows for normal business fluctuations and employee movements, while signifying that an employer has a focus on identifying and addressing inequalities and is taking action to ensure there is gender equality throughout an organisation.” 

International Women’s Day is an occasion to celebrate the progress made towards achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment. It is also a day to critically reflect on those accomplishments and strive for a greater momentum towards gender equality worldwide.  

Dating back to 1911, the Day catalyses fostering social change, and ignites a world-wide call to action. The message for International Women’s Day which is held this year on 8 March is: “Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #InspireInclusion.”   

While the official United Nations theme for International Women’s Day 2024 is ‘Count Her In: Invest in Women, the International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) is embracing a different theme: ‘The World Needs Feminists’. This choice stems from the realisation that symbolic gestures, such as purple cupcakes, fall short in addressing the urgent need for gender equality. In 2024, IWDA is rallying feminists worldwide to join forces in the unwavering pursuit of equality. 

Scarlett continued with her speech and asked the girls in the audience to change or further develop their perception of International Women’s Day. “We are lucky enough to be in such an advantageous environment. Having access to some of the best education in the world, where we are provided a platform to share our voice and with that create change. Further, as the innovative, smart, and confident girls we are, it is imperative we recognise this Day and show others around us who aren’t as educated on the matter, what the true meaning of International Women’s Day is.” 

Along with Scarlett, another member of our Student Executive, Year 12 student Rhea Werner, expressed her thoughts on International Women’s Day during an interview with The Age. Rhea’s full article is available in this week’s Blue Ribbon here. 

With young women like Scarlett, Rhea, and our other senior students leading the way, the challenge of creating a more gender equal world is within reach. Scarlett’s final words to the students were, “In the wise words of Malala, we cannot succeed when half of us are held back, we must tell girls their voices are important. So, girls I am here to reiterate that our community would not be whole without you, and with full confidence I can tell you just how crucial your say is in both this environment and the world as a whole.”