International Women's Day 2023
It’s International Women’s Day today which celebrates social, economic, cultural & political achievements of women, as well as marking a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.
We spoke to Lee Baker, who is a volunteer at the not-for-profit Days for Girls Australia about her involvement in the charity, her previous working background, personal beliefs & experiences with gender inequality.
The Fella Hamilton team first met Lee when we began working with the Days for Girls charity in 2020 to donate our expertise and time to the machine cutting of waterproof, polyurethane laminate (PUL) fabric used in the making of menstrual hygiene kits which are then handmade by the DfG volunteers. These menstrual hygiene kits are given to woman and girls all around the world who don’t have access to feminine hygiene products and menstrual care education. We continue our partnership with DfG to help make a difference to the lives of so many girls and women around the world.
With Fella Hamilton being a women lead business, we employ many women including senior managers and Sharon Hamilton as CEO. Sharon says “Empowering women to feel good and have respect for themselves is at the heart of what we do. From all our wonderful hardworking staff, through to the garments we sell, the ladies that wear Fella Hamilton clothes with pride, and to the charities we partner with - empowering women is key.”
LEE BAKER HAS BEEN WORKING WITH DAYS FOR GIRLS FOR AROUND 6 YEARS & IS NOW THE LEADER OF THE CAMBERWELL CHAPTER IN VICTORIA. WE FIND OUT ABOUT HER ROLE IN THE CHARITY & ALSO ABOUT HER WORKING HISTORY AS A PHARMACIST HAVING EXPERIENCED INEQUALITIES AS A WOMAN WITHIN HER WORK SPACE. LEE STRONGLY BELIEVES THAT YOUNG WOMEN TODAY SHOULD CONTINUE TO STRIVE FOR WHATEVER ROLE THEY FEEL DRAWN TO.
1. How long have you been involved with the Days for Girls Charity & what is your role?
I have worked with Days for Girls for approximately 6 years. During that time my role has grown from member to co-leader of Camberwell Chapter and now leader. I am also the person who distributes the pieces of Poly Urethane Laminate (PUL) fabric cut by Fella Hamilton to teams and chapters all over Australia. Over the years I have been involved Days for Girls Australia Ltd (DfGAL) has formalised many of their policies and procedures to comply with their status as a charitable organisation including the policy for working with children. Both in Australia and also in countries where our kits are being distributed DfG ensures children all over the world are valued and protected where DfG are involved.
2. How has the charity changed over the years?
DfG International has encouraged the strengthening of Social Enterprises in many countries throughout the world to great effect. Some countries have now achieved the ability to sew all the kits needed and DfG teams and chapters in Australia no longer send kits to these countries. As the number of countries achieving this status is small, and the world need is so great, DfGAL are still able to send kits to many countries including the Oceania region.
3. How long have you been working with Fella Hamilton & what is your involvement with the company?
I have been working alongside Fella Hamilton since late in 2020, when FH began cutting pieces of PUL for DfGAL. (This was a result of one of my sons-in-law working for FH in electrical safety standards). I receive the pieces, bundle them into 50’s and 100’s then let teams and chapters know that I have stock. As the orders come in, I package and send them to all states in Australia. Because FH have done this work for us without charge, the benefit to DfGAL is huge. We are able to save our volunteers hours of manual cutting giving them an accurate and cost-effective way of using the PUL.
4. What was your earlier working life, and did you face gender inequality?
I qualified as a pharmacist in 1974 and worked in both hospital and retail pharmacy over my career. My first job as a pharmacist was in the hospital system where there were many inequities. I believe pay rates were similar but men were encouraged to have superannuation but that wasn’t possible for a woman. I also believe that when I applied for a role as Deputy in the department, I was overlooked for the role as I was newly married. I was asked directly during the interview process if I intended on having a family in the near future - not a question that would be asked today. I did have a family and managed to work part-time as a pharmacist, not only when married, but also following my divorce bringing up 2 daughters with the help of my parents. Pharmacy was a wonderful profession to be part of and even in the early 1970’s when I was studying half of the students were female.
5. What would be your advice for young women with regards to gender inequality.
Young women today should continue to strive for whatever role they feel drawn to, even when met with unexpected barriers. Don’t be discouraged. Just by asking questions, women can make a difference to their own or future workplaces by making companies and governments aware of inequalities that are invisible to current workers or employers. One development that I applaud is the introduction of gender-neutral bathrooms that can be accessed by all people regardless of how they identify.
6. How do you feel about International Womens Day & what it stands for?
International Women’s Day gives another opportunity to bring the needs of women and girls to the forefront. Acknowledging that diversity is part of life and needs to be valued. International Women’s Day aligns with the values of Days for Girls by empowering women in all facets of life.
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