Each year the 8th of March provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress women have made towards equality, to celebrate those who have led the way and to unite behind a commitment to continue to pursue meaningful change.

In 2022, we will celebrate the United Nations’ theme Changing Climates: Equality today for a sustainable tomorrow, which recognises and celebrates the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are working to change the climate of gender equality and build a sustainable future.

The University of Newcastle is a signatory to the tertiary education sector’s Joint Statement on ‘Preserving Gender Equity as a Higher Education Priority During and After COVID-19’.

Video: View our reflections on Generation Equality, the theme of IWD 2020

Selection of events

As a proud supporter of International Women's Day the University community is hosting an extensive calendar of events on and off-campus.

7
Mar

Newcastle Feminist Histories Exhibition

Exhibition running until 14 March

An IWD display curated by the Library Special Collections Team.​​​​​​

8
Mar

NUspace Morning Tea and Digital Exhibition

Time: 9am-9.30am

Hosted by the College of Human and Social Futures at the NUspace Level 5 tea space.

8
Mar

IWD Morning Tea and Panel

Time: 9.30am-11am

Join the Vice-Chancellor and senior leaders for Morning Tea and a Panel Discussion on Changing Climates: Equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.

Panelists: Dr Elena Aydos - Newcastle Law School; Professor Margaret Alston - School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences; Dr Jessica Allen - School of Engineering.

MC: Associate Professor Jamie MacKee - School of Architecture and Built Environment

Hosted by the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Unit.

8
Mar

Park on the Hill performance

Time: 10.45am-11.30am

Following the Morning Tea and Panel, make your way to Park on the Hill to join UNSA and enjoy a performance by Indigenous dancers from Francis Greenway Highschool.

8
Mar

Free BBQ

Time: 12pm-1pm

Enjoy a free BBQ lunch and sweet treats on The Quad and peruse a range of information/flyers available on local IWD events happening on the Central Coast.

Jointly-hosted with UNSA.

8
Mar

Feminist Badgemaking (and cupcakes)

Time: 1pm-3pm

Join the Library’s Feminist Badgemaking workshop at Auchmuty Library (Level 3 Foyer) and make yourself a pin-badge of your favourite feminist heroes, including local University women and some pop-culture favourites! We have lots of pre-cut badge designs, or you can write your own, and we’ll have the badgemaker and some friendly staff on board to get you started.

Free cupcakes for the first 25 participants!

8
Mar

Afternoon Arts & Craft Session

Time: 1.30pm-4.30pm

The UNSA Women's Collective (WoCo) will host this opportunity with art supplies and snacks supplied at the UNSA Clubhouse.

8
Mar

Afternoon Tea and Networking

Time: 3pm-5pm

Female and non-binary HDR students and academics are invited to join the Graduate Research team for an afternoon of connection.

8
Mar

Women to the Front

Time: 6pm-10pm

Celebrating our talented female, non-binary and gender diverse University of Newcastle Students and Alumni musicians at Bar on the Hill. Entry is free. All welcome.

The line-up includes:

India Jazz
Abbi Yeo (with band)
Piper Rodrigues and the Blind Black Hearts
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M.E.N
Regikay
Millie Mills
DJ SMILLZ

8
Mar

Poetry Salon

Time: 6pm-9pm

Newcastle poetry lovers and allies, please join the Gender Research Network and Feminist Poetry Workshop Newcastle's annual immersion in women’s and non-binary poetry.

10
Mar

The Power of Mentoring for Women in STEM: A Panel Discussion

Time: 12.30pm-1.30pm

A collaborative panel discussion presented by the Careers Service, The College of Engineering, Science and Environment and HunterWiSE.

The panel will discuss how mentoring has helped shape their careers, forge networks and overcome roadblocks that women typically face in a male dominated industry.

Students will be able to express their interest in taking part in the inaugural Women in STEM mentoring program that will be run through the Careers Service from Semester 2, 2022.

13
Mar

All About Women Satellite*

Time: 11am-9pm

Newcastle Libraries and University of Newcastle will team up to present the city’s inaugural All About Women Festival Satellite event at the Council Chambers in Newcastle West.

All About Women is an all-day festival at Sydney’s Opera House full of discussions from extraordinary voices on the forefront of the gender equity movement. The All About Women team describe this year's line up as “amplifying the power of disclosure and transforming trauma into action; celebrates the rich resource of eldership in our First Nations communities; stages cross-generational conversations, art, and performance, and emphasises the need for allyship, friendship, and collective responsibility.”

*More info to come!