The South Coast Writers Centre (SCWC) has partnered with the Women’s Health Services and the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre to run the International Women’s Day (IWD) event at Wollongong Art Gallery on March 8 from 10am to 12.30pm.

Danika Thomas from the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre will be the keynote speaker on the day.

Emma Rodrigues from the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District will also give a ‘’rousing speech’’ on female equality, focusing on how gender equality has evolved, and what it means in a contemporary context.

IWD is a global event that celebrates the economic, political, cultural and social achievements of women past, present and future.

But Power Voice For Change spokesperson Adara Enthaler believes this year’s IWD is likely to have a dark undertone for women around the world.

She said Russia legalising domestic violence against women and US president Donald Trump cutting funding for reproductive health around the world were backward steps for women’s equality in 2017.

But Enthaler is confident the Wollongong IWD event will bring fascinating and diverse groups of women together for a powerful day of connection.

There will be no drumming sessions and crystal bowl meditation like last year, with the focus in 2017 brought back to women’s words, with a writing competition in the theme of change.

The competition is open to submissions of poetry up to 40 lines and prose up to 750 words until March 5 to director@southcoastwriters.org.au. The competition winner will be announced at the IWD event, followed by an open mic.

For details contact SCWC on 4228 0151 or director@southcoastwriters.org.au.