YWCA Australia celebrates two women leaders

Kathleen’s longstanding commitment to the YWCA began in 1963. She remains active as a life member of YWCA Australia and as the living memory of the organisation. Kathleen’s unique contribution of dedicated service spans local, state, national and international levels of the YWCA, where she has worked with integrity, wisdom, creativity and enormous care for people.

Kathleen was Vice President of YWCA Australia in 1973, 1989 and again in 1997. Her countless contributions include the introduction of the YWCA encore breast cancer recovery programme, a national programme of YWCA Australia to Australia. She also played an active role on many committees including as member of the Advisory Committee on the Status of Women (Victoria), a leader of the Australian Resource Sharing Programme and member (National) of the Consultative Council on Social Security.

YWCA Australia also celebrates an historic first with the election of Julia Gillard as Leader of the Australian Parliamentary Labor Party and her new role as Prime Minister of Australia.

"Today, girls around Australia can, for the first time, see the highest political office in the land being filled by a woman. "More than a century after suffrage for white women and forty years since suffrage for Aboriginal women and men, Australia finally has a woman Prime Minister,” said Dr Caroline Lambert, YWCA Australia Executive Director.

"We celebrate today that the final "first" for women's political leadership in our country has been realised."

Prime Minister Gillard follows in the steps of many trailblazing "first" women: including YWCA Australia’s Vice-President, Roslyn Dundas, who was the youngest women (at the time) to enter an Australian parliament.

Both Kathleen Edwards and Prime Minister Gillard personify the ideals of women’s leadership of the YWCA movement. They are strong role models for the next generation and pave the way for young women who have a vision and aspire to realise their dreams.