Happy International Women's Day

For years I celebrated my birthday without knowing it was International Women's Day (yes, today is my birthday - I'm officially on the other side tipping over to 46!) 

If you're interested in the history of the day this is what the Fount of Knowledge "Wikipedia" has to say ...

"International Women's Day ( IWD ), originally called International Working Women's Day , is celebrated on March 8 every year. [2] It commemorates the struggle for women's rights.

The earliest Women's Day observance was held on February 28, 1909, in New York and organized by the Socialist Party of America . [3] A Women's Day demonstration on March 8, 1917 in Petrograd sparked the Russian Revolution . [4] Declared a national holiday in the Soviet Russia in 1917, it was predominantly celebrated by the socialist movement and communist countries until it was adopted in 1977 by the United Nations."

Of course the men in our world would say every day is Women's Day! And they would be right :) But how far have we come? Is this Day working to remove the barriers and provide equality for our gender?

Last week I attended the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Governance Summit where on the first day two very prominent women spoke exceptionally good messages. I encourage you to read these transcripts by Elizabeth Proust AO and Elizabeth Ryan AM. The Melbourne Convention Centre was filled and I would say it was a very diverse audience - close to 50/50. Whilst the statistics say that Women on Boards and in Executive Levels are still not equitable, we certainly seemed to have made some progress.

I was also encouraged to see many women (and blokes!) from the regions. I spoke to many Tasmanians and Territorians, those from Geelong and FNQ as well as a few from my own Illawarra region. I discussed with some how we might encourage Boards to consider people in the regions. But the consensus was it is just too difficult for regional people to compete with the city folk!

Of course that is one of my priorities with the Unique Leaders Network. To showcase what women in our regions can do, and to highlight unique women in our cities who seem too different from the mix to make the grade.

On this International Women's Day, can I encourage you to apply for that Board position you saw last week? Or get to that Networking event that will help you find those connections you need to get offered that position? Don't be disheartened by the rejections - it just means that wasn't the right position for you. Keep putting yourself out there and the right one will come along!

You are special and today is a day to celebrate you and what you offer to this world! 

And you don't need to do the journey alone. Consider joining the Unique Leaders Network and be inspired by women who are on the same journey.

Michelle Blicavs is the Founder of the Unique Leaders Network. Michelle also serves as Chairman of the Top Blokes Foundation, is a Director of Local Government Super and is a Councillor on Wollongong City Council.