Inner West Council establishes community sport leadership program to mark International Women’s Day 2023

International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8th March and to foster gender equity, Sydney's Inner West Council has established a Women Leaders in Community Sport program that provides practical skills and confidence-building for current and emerging leaders.

Sydney’s Inner West will be celebrating the day with a suite of programs while working towards real change on gender equity, every day of the year - not just on 8th March.

The Inner West Council Gender Equity Strategy 2021 - 2025 outlines how Council is stepping up to play its part in ending gender-based violence by challenging gender stereotypes and power imbalances and advancing gender equity among their community.

The Women Leaders in Community Sport program aims to increase the participation of women administrators in local sporting clubs. The alumni will feed into an ongoing Women Leaders in Sport network.

Council Director Community Ruth Callaghan said council is working to create a safe, inclusive and equal Inner West, where everyone has access to equal power, resources and opportunities and notes “as an executive we have more senior women on the Inner West executive than most councils.

“It is fair to say that local government is still seen as a bit of a blokes’ world, but I’m really pleased to be working with a general manager and an executive team that has a number of really competent and energetic women.”

Advising that gender equity is built into Council’s existing operational systems, recruitment, planning, policy and strategy work, Callaghan stated "as the child of a feminist I grew up understanding that for women education means choices and I’m always grateful to my parents for that. And it’s certainly something with my two male children I have passed on."

Inner West women can choose from a wide range of activities on Wednesday 8th March and throughout the month:

• International Women’s Day panel discussion - Australian Greek Women in Leadership as part of Library Speaker Series, Wednesday 8th March 6.30pm-7:30pm, Ashfield Town Hall.

• Free Yin Yoga Wednesday, 8th March 4pm-5pm, Ashfield Aquatic Centre.

• Free Dancing Pump class Wednesday, 8th March 11:30am-12:30pm. Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre.

• Women’s Cycling Tour, Thursday 9th March, 6:30pm-8:30pm.

• Marrickville South Community barbecue – 30th March, 3pm-5pm

Inner West Library Film Club

• The Woman King Marrickville Library, 10am, 10th March

• The Flood Leichhardt Library, 1pm, 14th March

• The Eyes of Tammy Faye Balmain Library, 2pm, 24th March

For full details of Inner West International Women’s Day activities go to: International Women's Day in the Inner West