Michell Shire Council marks International Women’s Day

By Contributed

Feb 26, 2023

Taking a stand: Mitchell Shire Council deputy mayor Louise Bannister, Mayor Fiona Stevens and chief executive officer Brett Luxford.

Mitchell Shire Council is celebrating International Women’s Day and reflecting on what council is doing to promote and encourage gender inclusivity and opportunity.

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Every year, International Women’s Day is celebrated around the world on March 8.

The day is a time to reflect on progress and to celebrate the courage and determination of the women who have changed history throughout, and those who will advance this issue into the future.

The theme for 2023 is ‘embrace equity’, which seeks to get people talking about how to focus on better outcomes.

Equal opportunities are no longer enough and some purported equal opportunities can actually exclude women, rather than include them.

Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities.

Equity recognises that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.

Mitchell Shire Council is addressing both gender equity and equality through its Gender Equality Action Plan 2021-2025.

The plan aims to progress initiatives and outcomes in the organisation and also contribute to preventing gender-based violence in the community.

Council has also started undertaking Gender Impact Assessments via an app that is the first of its kind for a Victorian local government.

This app will greatly assist staff to plan for and create fairer policies, programs and services to help people have equal access to opportunities and resources within both council and the broader community.

Visit council’s website for more information about its Gender Equality Action Plan and how it is promoting community-led events.

Mitchell Shire Council Mayor Fiona Stevens said International Women’s Day was a day to celebrate the fantastic contributions by the women in the community.

“These contributions sit beside partnerships with all other stakeholders who jointly aim to make our community more inclusive with equal and fair opportunities for all,” Cr Stevens said.

“However, progress still needs to be made. We all have a role to play and days like International Women’s Day are important to keep the discussion and focus moving, and to bring people together to reflect on the advancements we have made and how we will build upon this.

“Women are still very much an underutilised resource, and it is our loss if we don’t fully embrace their significant value to our community.”