2019 International Women's Day breakfast at Women's Health Loddon Mallee

And a breakfast hosted by Women's Health Loddon Mallee in Bendigo this morning showed that message in action.

About 170 people registered to attend, but more are estimated to have dropped by throughout the event to celebrate women and their achievements, and to demonstrate a commitment to advancing gender parity.

Many, attendee Michele Matthews observed, wore colours associated with the suffragette movement - purple, white and green.

It was difficult to distinguish those who were already friends from the attendees meeting each other for the first time.

They bonded over their own experiences as women, and those that had been shared with the public.

Overheard around the two large tables bearing savoury and sweet breakfast options were conversations about the achievements of local women, like Bendigo doctor Skye Kinder's guest speech at the Zonta Club of Bendigo's International Women's Day dinner earlier in the week, and national and international news.

"International Women's Day highlights the brilliant women in our community," Greater Bendigo Against Family Violence chair Margaret Singe said.

For Ms Matthews, the day was not only about highlighting present leaders, but those who had blazed a trail for the betterment of generations of women to come. 

Hearing women's stories was part of what motivated Rosella Chiang to attend the breakfast. 

"It's always refreshing and interesting," she said of International Women's Day.

Inglewood resident Pearl Fernandes said women's contributions to their communities and families were sometimes taken for granted.

"Sometimes people don't realise how much women really do," she said.

It was the first time Ms Fernandes had attended the International Women's Day breakfast in Bendigo.

She seized the opportunity to speak with people she didn't have any connections with previously.

Women's Health Loddon Mallee executive officer Tricia Currie said International Women's Day celebrations gave people permission to share their thoughts and acknowledge the important women in their lives. 

She was aware of celebrations right across the region marking the occasion.

Ms Currie noted a flow-on from the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, from November 25 to December 10, to International Women's Day.

She believed there was greater recognition and acceptance within the community that gender equality would drive down violence against women.

"We're recognising how important it is to celebrate women and their achievements and in doing that ensure women's voices are heard. That we look to hear them, to seek them out, and that we celebrate what they have to say," Ms Currie said.

She said the reason International Women's Day was needed was to bring people together to accelerate progress towards gender parity.

"Because progress is very slow," Ms Currie said.

Children entering primary school this year will be aged in their 70s by the time pay parity is achieved, she said.

Women continued to carry the greater responsibility for caring for young children and older family members.

Family violence continued to take its toll on the community.

"We need to consistently work collaboratively towards challenging unconscious bias and discrimination," Ms Currie said.

She said rigid gender stereotypes set expectations of people of all genders that limited their aspirations.

Whereas, recognising what people could and were achieving created opportunities.

"So often as women we see ourselves as ordinary," Ms Currie said. 

"We have so many extraordinary women in our region."

She said working collaboratively was important to achieving change.

When single actions were seen as part of a broader movement, Ms Currie said: "We begin to be the change we wish to make".

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Annie North chief executive Julie Oberin said gender inequality wasn't just bad for women.

"So many men suffer and are unhappy because of the patriarchal defined gender norms and gender stereotypes forced on them," she said.

"Having a more equal world will improve the health of men and women and people from LGBTIQ+ identities.  Everyone will benefit.

"We all need to work together to strive for a more equal world where we can equally participate socially, economically, culturally and politically, and not be harmed by behaviours created by unhealthy social structures, gender norms and rigid gender stereotypes."

The Greater Bendigo Gender Equity Coalition has decided to focus initially on workplaces.

"We believe before we can start encouraging the community to do the right thing when it comes to gender equality and gender equity, we need to get our own house in order," City of Greater Bendigo health and wellbeing director Vicky Mason said.

The council is one of 18 coalition members.

"There are a lot of organisations that are starting to look at this issue and thinking, 'We need to do something, what do we do, and the coalition hopefully can support each other to do things that make a real difference," Ms Mason said.

She believed the city was already on the journey to greater gender equity with its involvement in the Greater Bendigo Against Family Violence movement.

However, she believed there had been a shift from focusing on incidents of gendered violence to thinking about the determinants.

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