News Alert |

The City of Ballarat will celebrate International Women’s Day 2019 with a #balanceforbetterbbq on Friday 8 March.

The bbq, which is for anyone who wants to attend, will be held in Queen Victoria Square, opposite the Ballarat Town Hall, from 12pm until 2pm.

The bbq will be delivered by the Rotary Club of Ballarat West and will cost a gold coin donation, with all proceeds going to Eureka Mums.

This year’s theme, #balanceforbetter, relates to better gender balance creating a better world.

Entertainment will be provided by Ballarat’s Sweet Mona’s Choir and guest speakers will include:

City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Samantha McIntosh Federation University Aboriginal Education Centre Manager Jasmine Graham Women’s Health Grampians Chief Executive Officer Marianne Hendron City of Ballarat Innovation and Organisational Improvement Director Cameron Gray

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating women’s social, economic, cultural and political achievements, as well as marking a call to action for improving gender equity.

The first International Women’s Day was held in 1911 and was supported by more than a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.

The City of Ballarat adopted its Gender Equity Action Plan 2018-2020 last year, which will work to ensure:

The City of Ballarat workplace is a sector-wide gender equity leader The City of Ballarat boasts a gender-balanced workforce composition and pay equality The City of Ballarat has zero tolerance for everyday sexism and all staff are empowered to address it The City of Ballarat applies bias-free practices when assessing its talent pool All women are supported to succeed at the City of Ballarat

City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Samantha McIntosh said International Women’s Day recognised the achievements of women worldwide and also symbolised the fight for women to work and live on an equal footing.

“Everyone has a part to play in building a gender-balanced world,” Cr McIntosh said.

“This International Women’s Day let’s celebrate all of the achievements of the women we know, while helping lead the push for a better gender balance to create a better world.”

Ballarat and region have several female leaders including Cr McIntosh, City of Ballarat CEO Justine Linley, Federal Member Catherine King, State MPs Jaala Pulford, Juliana Addison and Michaela Settle, Ballarat Police Superintendent Jenny Wilson, Federation University Vice-Chancellor Professor Helen Bartlett, Australian Catholic University Dean Professor Bridget Aitchison, and many female business and community leaders.