Guest speakers Carolyn Mogharbel of 1800 My Options, Shannon Hill of Women’s Health Grampians, and Emily Smith of By Five featured at a Horsham International Women’s Day event on Friday.

Organising committee member and Federation University social and economic researcher Cathy Tischler introduced the trio, as well as Wotjobaluk woman and wellness practitioner Aunty Annie Nicholson, who gave the welcome to country.

Ms Tischler said this year’s theme was March Forward: it’s time to turn promises into progress.

“Today is a global day to celebrate women’s social, economic, cultural and political achievements; it also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity,” she said.

“It isn’t a women-only event but a community-wide event that’s about celebrating women, highlighting the ongoing work that is needed to achieve gender equality for all women.”

The 10th anniversary of the event in Horsham, Ms Tischler said the event would explore the opportunities and challenges of delivering health services across the region.

“By working together, the reach and the effectiveness of the event can be extended,” she said.

“We can deliver mutually beneficial outcomes that would not be achieved if we worked in isolation. 

“Our speakers will challenge us to consider our individual and collective roles in ensuring that essential services are available close to home and when and where they are needed. 

“And, we want to tell the story of how collecting local experiences, using data and evidence, can create positive change for all of us.”

The panel of speakers shared stories of women and gender-diverse people’s lived experiences, and talked about access to sexual and reproductive health services spanning across a woman’s lifespan, including contraception, abortion, menopause and antenatal care. 

Manager of 1800 My Options Carolyn Mogharbel spoke to the Women’s Health Impact Report and in particular the 1800 options data for the region, such as demand versus services. 

Women’s Health Grampians’ Shannon Hill spoke about the Tell Your Story project, highlighting women’s experiences with sexual and reproductive health care in the Wimmera, and the Menopause at Work project.

By Five’s Emily Smith spoke about her work’s focus on antenatal and prenatal care for women in the Wimmera region. 

The audience, of about 120 people, had the opportunity to ask questions during the panel discussion, submitted via Slido. 

The event was supported by several stakeholders, including Uniting, Centre for Participation, Horsham Rural City Council, Grampians Community Health, Ballarat and Grampians Community Legal Service, Wimmera Southern Mallee Development, Rotary Club of Horsham East, Federation University Women’s Health Grampians and Wimmera Women. 

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