International Women's Day is a day to celebrate the gains women have made over the years and to bring our attention to the issues that still face us. Most of all, it's a day to recognise that we, as women, have made and continue to make a difference. A day to celebrate women's contribution to making Australia and the world a better place for everyone.

Dianne Madden was announced as the winner of the 2008 NSW Woman of the Year Award at the Premier's Reception for International Women’s Day on Thursday March 6, 2008.

Dianne was nominated by Mr Barry Collier MP, Member for Miranda, for her outstanding contributions to helping families living with mental illness. Dianne is the founder and President of Camp Kookaburra, a volunteer organisation which provides networks and support for children living with a family member affected by mental illness. As a volunteer herself, Dianne’s dream is that one day, Camp Kookaburra will become a national program.

The NSW Woman of the Year Awards honour a group of exceptional, hard-working and dedicated women who work diligently to improve the communities in which we all live. The theme for the 2008 award was 100 years of active women in paid and unpaid work, and nominations were called for women who have achieved outstanding performances in improving workplaces, working conditions and/or volunteering work.

All NSW Government Ministers and Local Members were invited to nominate a woman in their electorate or portfolio as their candidate for Woman of the Year. This year, nominations were also sought from the general public. Over 100 outstanding nominations were received, from which the following 12 finalists were selected: Pam Boney, Skye Bortoli, Jean Cinis, Josephine Clark, Janny Ely, Dianne Madden, Bev Manton, Melinda Medway, Alice Oppen, Catherine Hall, Tegan Wagner and Ruth Wilson.

Click here to view a profile of the 2008 NSW Woman of the Year.

Click here to view a press release of the winner of the 2008 NSW Woman of the Year award.

Click here to view a press release of the 2008 NSW Women of the Year Finalists.

Click here to view a profile of the 2007 NSW Woman of the Year.

Across New South Wales, women living in towns and cities in rural and remote areas, were encouraged to celebrate their achievements in events on International Women’s Day.

2008 International Women's Day Grants Program.

The history of International Women's Day is a history of taking action. The event originated in 1908 when women garment makers in New York demonstrated to demand better working conditions. They worked in appalling conditions, earned half of men's wages, died prematurely from poor health and didn't have the right to vote.

In 1910 an international conference of women resolved that each year a day should be set aside to press for women's demands. Since then International Women's Day (IWD) has been celebrated around the world each year on March 8. From its inception International Women's Day has stood for equality between women and men.

At the same time in England, women were meeting and marching to demand the right to vote. The Suffragettes adopted the colours of Green, White and Violet to stand for their slogan "Give Women the Vote". Since then these colours have been used to symbolise the struggle for women to obtain equal rights.

In Sydney, IWD was first celebrated in 1928 at a rally that called for equal pay for equal work, an eight hour day for shop workers, no piece-work, a base wage for the unemployed and paid annual holidays. Rallies and marches have been held throughout Australia every year since.

Of course, much has improved since then, but we still have some way to go to achieve equal opportunity for women, not only in Australia but throughout the world.

So IWD is about remembering the battles long fought to build a society that is just and fair to all its members a society in which diversity, tolerance, safety, social justice and equality between women and men is a given. And its about celebrating what women have done, are doing and can do.