Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Gender equality chief to lead Mildura anti-violence walk

Victoria’s first Gender Equality Commissioner will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Community Walk Against Family Violence, Mildura Rural City Council has confirmed.

To be held on Friday 18 November to coincide with White Ribbon Day, Dr Niki Vincent (pictured) will open proceedings before participating in the walk to Mildura’s Riverfront.

Dr Vincent was appointed as Victoria’s first Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner in September 2020. She is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Gender Equality Act 2020 and plays a key leadership role in promoting gender equality in the Victorian community and workplaces.

Representing Council’s White Ribbon Committee, General Manager Corporate, Chris Parham said Dr Vincent would be a powerful voice to start this year’s White Ribbon Walk.

“Council’s commitment to stopping family and gendered violence in our community is well known,” Mr Parham said.

“But our recent work preparing our first Gender Equality Action Plan really reaffirmed for us the role that ingrained gender stereotypes play in family violence and violence against women in particular.”

Council’s annual Community Walk Against Family Violence will start at midday in the Langtree Mall on 18 November. The walk was last held in 2019 before being moved online in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Dr Vincent will speak at the start of the walk, before leading the hundreds of residents expected to take to Mildura’s CBD to raise awareness about White Ribbon and men’s violence against women.

The event will conclude with a free community barbecue.

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