The theme for this year's International Women’s Day is ‘Cracking the Code: Innovation for a gender equal future’. Based on the United Nations' 67th Commission on the Status of Women priority theme – Cracking the Code highlights the role that bold, transformative ideas, inclusive technologies, and accessible education can play in accelerating gender equality.
The segment will also feature a personal presentation by activist, Hollywood actor and producer Alyssa Milano which will be streamed to IWD events taking place in five locations around Australia.
UN Women Australia CEO Simone Clarke said the organisation was “thrilled and honoured to welcome two change agents that have shaped the way women are viewed around the world”.
“When we talk about cracking the code to gender equality, there really hasn’t been a cause as powerful or culturally shaping as the ‘me too.’ movement. To also have Tracey Spicer personally interview Tarana Burke is certain to make for compelling viewing, given their shared passion for equality,” said Ms Clarke.
In 2019, Tarana Burke and Tracey Spicer AM accepted the Sydney Peace Prize, on behalf of the ‘me too’ movement. Spicer has also just finished writing a book about coded bias in artificial intelligence which is perpetuating gender and racial stereotypes (Man-Made: How the bias of the past is being built into the future).
“We have come a long way in the fight for equity, but there’s still an awfully long way to go,” Spicer said.
UN Women Australia IWD events
UN Women Australia will hold five International Women’s Day fundraising events across Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth, as well as a live stream to a virtual hub on Friday, 3 March 2023.
The IWD events will explore how innovation, inclusion and education have the power to disrupt “business as usual” and crack the code to a gender equal future.
UN Women Australia Chair, Georgie Williams reminded the audience of the powerful opportunity that gender equality presents.
“This year’s theme is an important reminder that our world, as it progresses into a technological future, does so at the risk of embedding gender inequality even further. Gender inequality is not an unsolvable problem that must be ranked against or below other challenges. It is a true opportunity – which when harnessed, releases incredible productivity, intellectual capital and international competitive advantage.”
UN Women Australia’s line-up of local speakers include activists, innovators, technologists and entrepreneurs who are #CrackingTheCode and breaking down barriers every day. They include:
- Mikaela Jade, founder and CEO of tech company Indigital – Australia’s first Indigenous edu-tech company specialising in AR (Canberra)
- Jackie Lee-Joe, Digital Disruptor with over 20 years’ experience across media, tech, telco, aviation and financial services with brands such as Netflix, BBC, Skype, Virgin, Orange and Afterpay (Sydney)
- Dr Catherine Ball, scientific futurist, advisor, author and founder working globally across a wide range of projects from creating documentaries and world leading events, to advising on the use of drones across environmental and humanitarian projects (Melbourne)
- Sarah Moran, CEO and co-founder of Girl Geek Academy, a movement to bring one million women and girls into technology careers by 2030 (Brisbane)
- Grace Forrest, Founding Director of Walk Free and youngest ever UNAA Goodwill Ambassador for Anti-Slavery (Perth)
- Senator the Hon. Katy Gallagher, Minister for Women, will provide a national address from Canberra
To find out more about UN Women Australia’s IWD events visit unwomen.org.au