Source: UN Women Australia, IWD 2025
As we approach International Women’s Day this Saturday 8 March, we are celebrating the occasion by sparking meaningful conversations each day to raise awareness of women in the water, environment and STEM industries, shining the light on their significant roles and achievements, as well as the opportunities for us to embrace.
This year’s UN theme is “March Forward: For ALL Women and Girls” and calls for action to unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind. Central to this vision is empowering the next generation – youth, particularly young women and adolescent girls – as catalysts for lasting change. Together, we can be the generation to close the gap to achieve gender equality.
Reflecting on their career journeys and sharing insights on how we can ‘march forward’, this week we will hear from some of our own exceptional team as well as other inspiring leaders from the industry who continue to do great things, pushing boundaries and paving the way for a brighter future for young women and girls.
At Sequana, we thrive on an inclusive, flexible and diverse workplace across all roles and locations, supporting women in achieving their career goals and balancing their lives. Since 2023, we have increased female hires by 66% thanks to new policies enhancing equal employment opportunity and growth, and we are proud that our Executive Leadership team has a 60-40% female-to-male ratio.
Today, we are featuring Trudi Woodward, our Chief Operating Officer alongside Jane Ryan, President of the Darebin Falcons All-Women Sporting Club (and long-time rural water policy and programs leader), sharing their views on what marching forward means and what an equal future can look like when society bridges the gender gap.
Trudi Woodward, Chief Operating Officer
What does “March Forward: For ALL Women and Girls” mean to you?
For me, “March Forward” is about ensuring that all individuals—regardless of gender—have access to the same opportunities, recognition, and pathways for growth. It’s about fostering environments where capability and contribution are the key determinants of success.
How do you think we need to march forward to unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind
A meaningful step forward is ensuring that workplace culture, systems and processes are structured to support equity. This includes training and mentoring current and emerging leaders about unconscious bias, ensuring transparent recruitment, fair remuneration, and development opportunities. It’s not just about removing barriers but also creating spaces where people feel valued and heard.
How can we empower the next generation to be catalysts for lasting change?
Empowerment comes from exposure, mentorship, and opportunity. The more we provide young professionals with access to networks, real-world experience, and role models who lead by example, the more we equip them to drive meaningful progress in their own careers and industries.
In our industry, how do we close the gap to achieve gender equality?
Industry-wide collaboration, leadership development, and fostering an inclusive culture are key to closing the gap and ensuring long-term diversity in the sector.
What are some of your own experiences in the industry?
I’ve been fortunate to work in an environment where gender has never been a barrier to my success. Throughout my career in water engineering, I’ve been assessed on my skills, performance, and contributions rather than my gender, and I’ve always been given the same opportunities as my peers. One of the most significant moments in my journey was being promoted to a team leader role while on maternity leave. When I returned to work full-time, I was fully supported in balancing my leadership responsibilities and personal commitments, with a workplace culture that championed flexibility and career growth. This experience reinforced my belief that with the right support and inclusive policies, women can thrive and advance in the industry based purely on their capabilities and achievements.
Sequana’s merit-based approach fosters a high-performance culture where success is defined by results and impact. This commitment to fairness has been instrumental in my development and reflects the true standard every business should aim for in achieving equality.
Jane Ryan, President of the Darebin Falcons all-women sporting club
What does “March Forward: For ALL Women and Girls” mean to you?
I love this theme – in its unapologetically firm use of the word march forward and THE most important part is reminding us of our intersectionality of the fight for rights, equality and empowerment of all women and girls.
While we don’t currently have equality in our society, many women and girls have less than us. They continue to be left out of the struggle and need to be included as together we not only fight misogyny but also racism, ableism and homophobia.
At our sports club (the Darebin Women’s Sports Club), we talk about the fact that until everyone plays, nobody wins. This reminds us that we need to be working at opening doors for all of our sisters who are facing often unacknowledged barriers to their involvement in such a simple activity – playing sport.
How do you think we need to march forward to unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind?
We need to be open to our own blindness when it comes to how we are all a part of a patriarchal society and make sure that the way we go about things proactively includes listening to the communities with lived experiences.
In my experience, we move forward more steadily when we elevate the voices of other experiences rather than speaking for them. This can be a tricky balance in being allies that speak up when needed, but elevating the voices of women and girls who get heard less because of colour, age, physical or mental attributes, gender or sexuality.
How can we empower the next generation to be catalysts for lasting change?
Lasting change has been iterative, so it will be important to inspire and support the next generation to be whatever they want to be.
We need to continue to tell our part of the story but listen to the next generation for their take on what will march us forward.
In our industry, how do we close the gap to achieve gender equality?
Ironically, I see changes in the water industry happening faster than in something as simple as sport! I’ve seen a real change in the water industry, since my days at Goulburn Valley Water in the late 90’s where all board members were male, and women were largely employed in administration and communications.
In terms of sports, I’ve been disappointed with the rate of change and the way some of the pathways of change show the insidious nature of inequality holding us back. I continue to be the only woman at many President’s meetings for 4 years as acting chair of one of oldest women and girls-only sporting clubs.
I often keep the discussion of the women, girls and gender-diverse people playing male-dominated sports directed at setting up ways to listen to the players. I have had to ignore condescension, as well as patronizing or belittling language that seeks to reduce my voice.
I played my first game of Aussie rules back in 2019 at the age of 46 when the over-35 competition allowed women to play for the first time. A pioneer of the game, Jill Chalmers fought for older women to be allowed in – a fight for equality that continues.
My first experience of playing was in a men-only club. It was my only opportunity to play and so I took it. I saw firsthand the fight against well-intentioned people who control the game and exercise their idea of equity. It manifests in the unequal access to facilities and equipment and there was no recognition of the needs of new players nor respect for the barriers facing older women to play Aussie rules.
What are some of your own experiences in the industry?
The changes made by the Minister I worked for in the mid 2010’s, made sure the Victorian water industry compliant with the Victorian Government policy of 50% women on all government statutory bodies was easy to make. It smashed the idea of meritocracy in its head. We are now working on getting boards to better reflect their communities in all ways and make sure everyone sees themselves as having the potential to sit on boards and as decision-makers.
Actions that make sure 50% of the population is represented, will also mean that decisions about the leaders of these organisations become fairer – there were 1/10 female CEOs of Victorian catchment management authorities as late as ten years ago and there were 5/10 last year. Up until 3 years ago, there had never been a female Managing Director of a rural water corporation, and now we have one at Goulburn-Murray Water – the largest water supply business in the country.
