Ahead of International Women’s Day 2022, ACON is calling all community members to celebrate the achievements of LGBTQ women, raise awareness against bias and take action for equality.
Observed annually on 8 March, International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of all women and calls for accelerated action on gender parity.
The theme for IWD 2022 is #BreakTheBias, which calls on people to actively call out gender bias, discrimination and stereotyping, and strive for a world that is diverse, inclusive, equitable and where difference is valued and celebrated.
“International Women’s Day is a collective effort, including NGO, government, corporate organisations, women’s networks, the media. This year’s theme calls out the impact of bias – deliberate or unconscious – and asks us to contemplate the change we can make if we take action, together,” ACON Deputy CEO Karen Price said.
“Especially over the past year, Australians have seen a sharper focus on the lack of progress for women across many domains – policy that addresses structural inequality, reductions in violence, sexual and economic safety, equality on our sporting fields, in boardrooms, executive leadership roles, and more. Alongside that, we’ve seen targeted attacks and discriminatory actions against trans people. As an organisation that cares about inequality and human rights, it is important ACON lends our voice in support of all women”.
To mark IWD 2022, ACON has launched a digital campaign on social media urging our communities to take action towards a gender equal world. The campaign features voices of women at ACON, as well as data, to raise awareness on the health inequalities of LGBTQ women, and the need to do more to address that.
“While it is important we show a collective commitment to gender equality on International Women’s Day, the actions and commitment must continue beyond this one week in March. Progress is happening, but its pace is unacceptably slow. ACON is committed to pushing for action towards gender equality for all women,” Price adds.
“Fundamental to our progress towards equality for sexuality and gender diverse people is solidarity. We must stand together to ensure no-one in our communities to be left behind.
“This is true of International Women’s Day and its aims – when progress is made for women, it is progress for a more just and inclusive community for all of us. We must leave no woman behind, so today we want to especially recognise the disproportionate inequality faced by our First Nation’s women, trans women, women of colour, women with migrant and refugee experience, and women with a disability.”
In addition to the information campaign on social media, media efforts and staff engagement initiatives, ACON is participating in the inaugural NSW Women’s Health Expo on Monday 7 March in Sydney. ACON is also undertaking longer term work on these issues throughout the year.
International Women’s Day 2022 is on Tuesday 8 March. Go to internationalwomensday.com.
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