Saturday 8 March 2025 marks International Women’s Day (IWD), an opportunity to stand alongside people across the globe and amplify the message that should be undeniable: women’s rights are human rights.
On this day, we celebrate the achievements, resilience, and contributions of all women - in all their diversity. This includes women of every faith, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ability. We honour the trailblazers who came before us, the women changing the world today, and those who will shape our future.
Why does International Women’s Day matter?
Progress should be linear - but too often, hard-won rights are rolled back, challenged, or ignored entirely.
International Women’s Day is more than a celebration - it’s a global reminder that women’s voices will not be silenced, and the fight for gender equality is far from over.
Progress isn’t equal for all women
Some women may feel they’ve personally escaped discrimination or systemic barriers. But that’s not the reality for many. Women of colour, women with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ women face compounded challenges, from lower wages to reduced access to healthcare, education, and safe housing.
International Women’s Day asks us to stand together, acknowledging these intersecting inequalities and commit to meaningful change for all women.
The numbers that demand action
Some alarming statistics (according to IWDA):
2.7 billion women are legally restricted from having the same choice of jobs as men
13.3% is the size of Australia’s gender pay gap
45 countries do not have specific laws against domestic violence
30% of women globally have experienced sexual or physical violence in their lifetime
Turning words into action
At Australian Mutual Bank we know that supporting women goes beyond acknowledging these statistics - it requires action. Through our community partnerships and initiatives, we’re proud to play our small part to creating safer, more equitable futures for women and children impacted by domestic and family violence.
In partnership with Barnardos Australia, some of our recent contributions include:
- Funding the replacement of shower curtain rails with screens at the units at Barnardos Penrith Centre, ensuring safer, more dignified spaces for women seeking refuge.
- Providing supplies to the Warrawong Children's and Family Centre, helping the team provide nourishing meals to children from vulnerable families, many of whom are escaping family violence.
- Donating various essential household items such as crockery and kitchen supplies to the Barnardos Penrith Centre, to support families starting fresh after leaving unsafe homes.
- Providing gift cards to Barnardos Western NSW centres, enabling them to purchase kitchenware, linen, and household essentials for women and children rebuilding their lives after fleeing violence.
In addition, Australian Mutual Bank is proud to be part of the Respect and Protect initiative – a critical step in tackling financial abuse, which is a common tactic used by perpetrators of domestic and family violence. We have updated our Terms and Conditions, defining financial abuse and outlining actions we may take if prohibited activities - including using accounts to control, threaten, or harass - are identified.
If you or someone you know is experiencing financial abuse, please reach out to us. Support is available, and you can visit our Domestic and Family Violence Support page to learn more.
International Women’s Day is more than a celebration – it’s a call to action. Together, we can demand a world where women and girls are safe, respected, and truly equal.
