International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March every year. The Victorian Honour Roll of Women celebrates the outstanding achievements of Victorian women and the many ways in which they have made a lasting contribution to our state.
Applications for the 2024 Honour Roll will open soon.
Meet some outstanding inductees
Catherine Barrett
Catherine has dedicated her professional career to building respect for older people. With experience as an academic and nurse in aged care, in 2013 Catherine founded Celebrate Ageing, a not for profit to combat ageism and build respect for older Australians.
She has also spent 28 years advocating for the prevention of sexual assault and is a well-respected expert on positive ageing.
Catherine was inducted to the Honour Roll as Trailblazer in 2023.
Dr Esmerelda Bamblett (Aunty Esme)
Aunty Esme is a Bangerang, Wiradjuri and Taungurung woman, community advocate, educator, researcher and writer.
She is an inspirational leader and has made major contributions to the understanding of how to conduct research with Aboriginal communities ethically and thoroughly, with a view to real-life benefits for research participants.
Aunty Esme was inducted to the Honour Roll as a Change Agent in 2023.
Carmen Mendez
Carmen is the founder and Managing Director of More Than Support, a disability services agency providing support to people with physical and mental disabilities.
She works closely with the public health system as part of the Pathway to Home program, assisting patients to be discharged from hospital while they are waiting for their NDIS plan to be approved.
As a Latin American woman working in a leadership position in the healthcare sector, Carmen has faced gender and cultural stigma. However, her clinical experience and compassion drive her continued commitment to patient care.
Carmen was inducted to the Honour Roll as a Trailblazer in 2023.
Anne Parton
Anne has contributed many unpaid hours to many Victorian communities over the last 60 years. She has advocated for marginalised women, championed women’s issues, and raised significant funds for families, social causes and communities.
Anne was the Vice President of the National Council of Women Victoria and the President of the National Council of Women Geelong for multiple terms, the President of the Boronia Netball Club, a member of the Geelong Lawn Tennis Club Committee for 13 years, and a member of various Uniting Church Committees.
Anne was inducted to the Honour Roll as a Local Champion in 2023.
Akuch Kuol Anyieth
Akuch is an academic researcher, advocate, author and emerging community leader. She combines lived experience, academic knowledge and a fierce intellect to pursue system change.
Akuch’s accomplishments are numerous, spanning the domains of social justice for women, court accessibility for African-Australian women, pre- and post-settlement challenges of African-Australians from refugee backgrounds, and educating mainstream service providers delivering trauma-informed culturally responsive workshops on the needs of South-Sudanese women who experience family violence.
Akuch was inducted to the Honour Roll as a Local Champion in 2023.
More information
Applications for the 2024 Honour Roll will open soon. For the latest updates, visit the Victorian Honour Roll of Women website .
Reviewed 07 March 2024