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Australian Women's History Forum(AWHF) is an organisation that exists to enhance the understanding of the role of women in the
history of Australia
The history of Australia is the story of the land and peoples of the continent of Australia.
People first arrived on the Australian mainland by sea from Maritime Southeast Asia between 50,000 and 65,000 years ago, and penetrated to all parts ...
.
Goals
Through its web presence and its sponsorship of
Women's History Month
Women's History Month is an annual declared month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. It is celebrated during March in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, corresponding with ...
(WHM), the AWHF aims to:
* recognise and promote awareness of and provide information on the history of women's contribution to
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
;
* provide a focus for activities on women's history through its website, especially in WHM;
* stimulate women's history initiatives across educational and community sectors; and
* encourage institutions and organisations to hold local activities during WHM.
Women's History Month
WHM, which is celebrated each year in March to coincide with
International Women's Day
International Women's Day (IWD) is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women's rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against wom ...
, was initiated in 2000 b
Helen Leonard working with the National Women’s Media Centre and the
Women's Electoral Lobby.
Since 2005, each WHM has highlighted a particular area of women's achievement with a different theme celebrated each year. Organisations, institutions and community groups are encouraged to use this theme for their own WHM events through promotional material on the website and are supported by th
online calendarwhere events are listed.
Past themes, such as ''Racy Women'' and ''Musical Belles''; and more recent themes, such as ''Arm in Arm: Indigenous and non Indigenous Women Working Together'', can be explored in th
online Gallery
It was Helen's vision, drive and commitment, supported by the technical expertise of Gillian Pollack, which made the establishment of WHM in Australia possible. After Helen’s untimely death in 2001, a group of committed women have continued and developed the work she had begun. In 2007, the original WHM website was upgraded and renamed the AWHF to indicate a more interactive role with its membership – one which would operate not only in March but throughout the entire year. A Historians Reference Group, which was established to provide specialist advice and support to WHM, has continued in this role since the inception of the AWHF.
Website
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AWHF websiteis a gateway to online information on women who have shaped Australian history. It is developed as a useful resource for teachers, students, journalists, professional historians, family and local historians, authors, librarians, archivists, curators and collectors. It is an interactive site and it will continue to grow as people add their own histories of not only well known women but also, perhaps more importantly, those thousands of women who have been the unsung trailblazers in our society.
It features
timelineof key events,
who's who listand a list o
historic placesof significance to in Australian women's history.
WHM websites from 2002 are archived on the
Pandora website and can be accessed through the
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia (NLA), formerly the Commonwealth National Library and Commonwealth Parliament Library, is the largest reference library in Australia, responsible under the terms of the ''National Library Act 1960'' for "mainta ...
.
See also
Women's History Month
Women's History Month is an annual declared month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. It is celebrated during March in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, corresponding with ...
Women's Electoral Lobby
History of Australia
The history of Australia is the story of the land and peoples of the continent of Australia.
People first arrived on the Australian mainland by sea from Maritime Southeast Asia between 50,000 and 65,000 years ago, and penetrated to all parts ...
International Women's Day
International Women's Day (IWD) is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women's rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against wom ...
External links
National Women's History ProjectThe Australian Women's History ForumThe Australian Women's RegisterNational Foundation for Australian Women
Society of Australia
History of women in Australia