Soroptimists, Girls Guides and Day of the Girl Child actions.В  SI Port PirieВ have been engaging with Girl Guides for some years now as a way of celebrating theВ Day of the Girl Child.В Making kites and flying them is great fun! This was discovered by ten Crystal Brook Girl Guides aged from 6 to 12, their three leaders and four members of Soroptimist International of Port Pirie as they celebrated this special day at the Crystal Brook Guide Hall in October

Prior to the day, the guides decorated their blank kites with messages and pictures, advocating what girls should be able to do. The messages showed deep thought about the topic as well as empathy with their less fortunate peers throughout the world. For example: girls should be able to ”speak up, be loved, read, go to school, get a good education, decline forced marriage, have a flexible job, wear their choice of clothes, play sport, go to friends' houses to play”.

After constructing the kites from the kits with help from leaders and Soroptimists, the girls trooped out onto the nearby oval and launched them successfully. Despite a very threatening sky earlier in the day, the sun and breeze appeared just in time for the exercise.

Soroptimists Jenny Hughes, Heather Hunt and Bev Clarke and “Soroptimister” Rooka Ramsay enjoyed the afternoon as much as the girl guides! Back in the hall they discussed how to display their kites to others in the town, namely a display in a Crystal Brook shop window and at the local Primary School assembly. Group Leader Lorraine Saunders commented that “the whole exercise was very worthwhile” and “it was a great event”,  sentiments shared by the Soroptimists, who hope to carry out other activities with the Girl Guides. Both groups follow the UN 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development.     

Soroptimists in FIji reducing the death rate of women with breast cancer,В  Fiji rates no 2 in the world for breast cancer related deaths. 10 Fijian Soroptimist Clubs, have collaborated with the Fijian Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation for Pinktober.В  Each Club will be runningВ breast screening and awareness campaigns.В The launch function was held at the Nalagi Resort Hotel. Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Rosa Akbar addressed the event, with a stern message to not fall for traditional medicine, stating that her mission was to educate every household every woman and girl and every man about breast cancer. The summary can be foundВ HERE.

Launch of Pinktober -В Past Federation President Suman Lal and National President Fiji Anita Prasad, along with members of Soroptimist Fiji and the Fijian Ministry of Women, launched Pinktober month campaign.В  В 
В 
SI Suva, reported theirВ partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Fiji Sports Council,В  so the large crowd of men and women attending the HFC National stadium during the IDC tournament (this is the amateur Fijian football cup tournament) could become aware of breast and cervical cancer. They providedВ free mammogramsВ by the medical team from MOH on the REACH Bus.В В 

You can view the video, from one of the women who did the breast screeningВ HERE.

The Australian Senate Select Committee invited Soroptimist Interenational South East Asia Pacific to give further evidence to strengthen the interim report on Work and Care. See statement pdf HERE(4.05 MB) . Of the 8 recommendations proposed, we are shaping a new one on migrant workers as well as addressing 4 we were concerned about:

• More recognition of unpaid and low-paid workers caring for ageing and people with disability and dementia (Childcare was well argued already and new budget was assigned for 26 week paid parental leave under the new Australian Wellbeing Budget)
  Benchmarking across the APEC countries and OECD, where we can learn lessons
• Right to disconnect (many workers in casual roles are torn between shifts, and never get enough sleep so their own mental and physical health).  Flexibility, definitions in the Fair Work Act, because the onus is always on the worker to be strong enough to speak up
• Duty of care by the employer
• Migrant workers undertake less-skilled labour (even though they might be qualified abroad) so we need to ensure they are strong enough to negotiate fair treatment and pay
• Strengthen systems to support indigenous peoples need and carers for vulnerable people like the ageing and people with disability and dementia. The concept of everybody in the family and community takes responsibility for caring for children, including the value of elders as cultural educators with the sense of belonging in the communities, no matter what family structure exists.