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Message from PM Malcom Turnbull on International Women’s Day 2016

Happy International Women’s Day!

I join you in celebrating the extraordinary achievements of women in Australia and around the world.

Critical to any economy and society is ensuring that the ingenuity, the wisdom and the talents of all our people are used, to their full potential, in our schools, in our workplaces and in the innovative industries of the future.

Women hold up half of the sky, they are half of our community. They must be as empowered as every other citizen, as every other person, ensuring that the power of women is engaged their rich human capital, increasing their participation in the workforce. All of these is critical to securing the economic future of any nation. And it is vital that women have financial security and physical security that they can live free from violence.

This International Women’s Day, UN Women Australia is focusing on the need to eliminate violence against women and girls. One in three women will experience violence in their lifetime. This is utterly unacceptable. It has to stop. And we need significant cultural change. We have to recognize that at the heart of violence against women and girls is disrespect of women. Not all disrespect of women leads to violence, but that is where all violence begins. So, at the heart of this cultural change is respect for women, equality of opportunity.

By working together, we can ensure women have the opportunity to contribute all of their talents and capabilities, have full financial and economic security, and live free from violence.