In 2020, the United Nations published data which showed that one woman was killed in her home every 11 minutes. In 2021, the World Health Organisation stated that approximately one in three women worldwide experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.

If these statistics weren’t shocking enough, the Australian Human Rights Commission have completed research in recent years which found that:

• there remains a gender pay gap in Australia of around 14.2%;
• the average superannuation balances for Australian women was at around 58% of the average figure of their male counterparts; and
• women in Australia accounted for 68% of primary care givers, with 70% or primary unpaid care for children and 58% of unpaid care for the elderly being completed by women.

Australia was also recently ranked 48^th in the world for female empowerment in politics. None of these statistics identify how these figures impact women with disability, but we can all agree that is unlikely to be a pretty picture.

March 8 is Women’s day. A day where we celebrate the voice and rights of women across the globe. The International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) states that on international women’s day, “We celebrate all women, in all their diversities. We embrace their facets and intersections of faith, race, ethnicity, gender or sexual identity, or disability. We celebrate those who came before us, those who stand beside us now, and those who will come after.”

So, here’s to the strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them. Happy Women’s Day