Call for Nominations: Women in Community Life Awards 2025 (Australia)

The UN Women global theme for 2025 is ‘March Forward’. This theme is from the UN Women Australia and reminds them that progress is not just about reflection, but about taking decisive, bold steps to turn the commitments into action.

As a part of the work to progress gender equality and inclusion, the Awards play an important role in recognizing the contribution made by women and the work they do in the community.

Award Categories

• Women in Community Life Award for Leadership and Advocacy: This award acknowledges the achievements and leadership of an individual, organisation or community group living or working in Geelong who have contributed to advancing or advocating for gender equality and women’s rights.
  • Examples may include:
    • Delivering bold, transformative ideas and projects to progress gender equality
    • Raising local awareness of gender equality and women’s rights
    • Advancing the position for women and girls in relation to clever and creative opportunities, including mentorship, digital platforms, social enterprise, and community activism
    • Promotion and inclusion of women’s participation in public life through advancing equal representation on boards, government bodies and educational institutions.
• Women in Community Life Award for a First Nations Woman: This award acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women living and/or working in Geelong, whose leadership and advocacy have improved the lives of people from their community.
  • Examples might include:
    • cultural activities
    • advocating for human rights and self-determination
    • promoting health and education
    • campaigning and advocacy
    • leadership
    • youth work
    • community development.
• Women in Community Life Award for Human Rights: This award acknowledges the achievements of women or local organisations in the promotion, advancement and demonstration of advocacy for human rights.
  • Examples may include:
    • actions to address and call out discrimination
    • encouraging greater social harmony within the community in areas such as race relations, gender equality and the treatment of children and young people
    • increasing awareness of injustice or discrimination
    • activities aimed to promote social justice, equity, diversity and inclusion
• Women in Community Life Award for Strengthening Healthy Communities: This award acknowledges the achievements of women or local organisations in contributing to an inclusive and healthier Geelong community.
  • Examples may include:
    • Creating opportunities where people can maximise their health and wellbeing.
    • Hosting activities that create and improve social connectedness, improved mental health and wellbeing
    • leading health promotion activities that have led to community connectedness and/or improved health outcomes
    • raising awareness of key women’s health issues, including mental health and sexual and reproductive health
    • increasing gender equity in sports and increasing participation of women and girls in physical activity
    • supporting women who are survivors of domestic and family violence and advocating for the prevention of violence against women and girls.

Award Information

• The award winners will receive a beautiful Wathaurong Glass artwork and $500.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible for an award the nominee must live, work or study in the Greater Geelong region.
• The nominee can be anyone who identifies as a woman or gender non-binary person.
• You can nominate an organisation or community group that is based in the Greater Geelong region.
• Previous winners of an award category are not eligible for nomination in the same category.
• Nominators can only nominate each nominee in one award category.
• Nominees must be at least 15 years old to be nominated.
• Current City of Greater Geelong staff members are not eligible to be nominated.
• Women in Community Life Award for Leadership and Advocacy:
  • To be eligible for this award, the nominee must be a person who identifies as a woman or gender non-binary person who lives, works or studies in the Greater Geelong region.
  • If you are nominating an organisation or community group for this award, they must be based in the Greater Geelong region.
• Women in Community Life Award for a First Nations Woman:
  • The nominee must identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
  • The nominee must be a person who identifies as a woman or gender non-binary person who lives, works or studies in the Greater Geelong region.
  • If you are nominating an organisation or community group for this award, they must be based in the Greater Geelong region.
  • Previous winners of this award are not eligible for nomination in the same category.
• Women in Community Life Award for Strengthening Healthy Communities:
  • The nominee must be a person who identifies as a woman or gender non-binary person who lives, works or studies in the Greater Geelong region.
  • If you are nominating an organisation or community group for this award, they must be based in the Greater Geelong region.

Selection Criteria

• Nominations will be assessed on the following key criteria:
  • Impact on the Greater Geelong community
  • Contribution to gender equality, women’s participation, representation and leadership
  • Leader and role model for women and girls
  • Contribution related to the award category.

For more information, visit City of Greater Geelong.