International Women's Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. 

Marked annually on 8 March, International Women's Day is one of the most important days of the year to:

  • celebrate women's achievements
  • raise awareness about women's equality
  • lobby for accelerated gender parity
  • fundraise for female-focused charities

2021 #ChooseToChallenge

The 2021 IWD campaign theme is #ChooseToChallenge because a challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day.

We can choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequity. We can choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.

From challenge comes change, so let’s all choose to challenge.

Celebrating women in emergency management

Building on the success of Emergency Services Foundation (External link) inaugural IWD event in 2020 women across the emergency management sector will celebrate the 2021 International Women’s Day theme Choose to Challenge, at events in Wangaratta and Melbourne.

In hosting events for IWD 2021 ESF will specifically respond to two recommendations on a study of women in the Victorian emergency management sector to:

  • bring women across the sector together to create events/forums that increase camaraderie, support, and acknowledgement
  • to explore how regionalised thankyou events could be generated for emergency service employees and volunteers

If you've a role in emergency management and would like to attend:

Wangaratta 14 March

https://esf-iwdchoosetochallenge-wangaratta.eventbrite.com.au (External link)

Melbourne 16 March

https://esf-iwdchoosetochallenge-melbourne.eventbrite.com.au (External link)