Standing up for equality on International Women’s Day

THE Surf Coast Shire council took a low-key approach to International Women’s Day (IWD) this year, marking the occasion with a community event at the council chambers on Friday afternoon.

Held in partnership with Torquay Community House, the celebration focused on this year’s IWD theme #EachforEqual.

Shire mayor Rose Hodge said the 2020 event was “a little bit down on numbers” compared to the shire’s previous IWD celebrations, which have featured high-profile speakers such as Catherine Deveny and Clementine Ford.

“We’ve spent a lot of money on those days, and they’re fantastic; don’t get me wrong. But we’ve had a bit of a sombre year with all of the domestic violence that’s happened in the news lately, so we thought we’d play it a little bit quieter.”

Wadawurrung traditional owner Corrina Eccles, who also performed a smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country to open the event, said the generations of women before her had laid the foundations for the existing generation to proudly share Indigenous culture and “a voice to stand here”.

“I am Wadawurrung – that is not what the generations before me were able to say as their identity and who they were and where they belong.

“It’s important that women aren’t frightened to have a voice; no woman should fear or be intimidated to have a voice. Equality is us all as equals.”

Torquay Food Aid secretary Lois Gill said she surprised herself when looking at last year’s statistics, as she initially thought the vast majority of the 100 people the service looked after would be men.

“But when we counted them, they were just about equal in numbers.

“As well as handing out food, we hand out love and kindness too.

“It’s the people you know that we might be able to help.”