Women in Community Life Celebration - 11 Years of Impact 

On 11 March 2026, we celebrated 11 years of the Women in Community Life Awards at the Women in Community Life Celebration event.

Since its inception in 2015, there have been 52 award recipients and more than 200 local women nominated for their achievements in promoting and advancing gender equality in Greater Geelong.

The event reflected on how these women have shaped our region for the better and the continued impact of their work.

To mark this milestone, the City of Greater Geelong along with our event sponsors are proud to be offering two EmpowerHER Scholarships to women making a positive impact in our community.

The event and the scholarships are made possible with support from valued partners and sponsors including Member for Corangamite Libby Coker MP, Soroptimist International of Geelong, GMHBA, Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West and Zonta Club of Geelong.

About the Awards

Our Women in Community Life Awards celebrate local women for their achievements in contributing to a fairer, more equitable community.

The Awards commenced in 2015 to recognise the contribution women* have made to the Greater Geelong community, particularly the impact they have made to promote and advocate for the advancement of gender equity and human rights.

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

Across industries and disciplines, women do not receive awards or recognition at the same rate as men, including Australia Day Awards and Nobel Prizes. Women often receive awards with less monetary value compared to men, and often receive less prestigious awards.

Learn more about the previous winners.

*Also refers to cis and trans women and gender non-binary people.