The #OlderWomenCount campaign is 7 days of visibility and advocacy leading up to International Women’s Day

The #OlderWomenCount campaign run in partnership with CELEBRATE AGEING highlights the achievements and contributions of older women, raises awareness of the inequalities they experience and promotes strategies for inclusion.
We believe that celebrating older women’s contributions is a critical step in creating a culture where #OlderWomenCount and the gender inequalities and ageism they experience is combatted.
Our mission is to ensure #OlderWomenCount in every family, community, institution, policy, celebration and strategy – every day of the year.
The campaign is launched on March 1st each year with an online event calling families, communities and service providers to end ageism and include older women in all areas of life.
2023: Older Women Dancing
Online Launch Speakers
Wednesday March 1st, 4-5pm (AEST)
- Janet Bromley: Mum, Nan, Yorta Yorta Artist living on Dja Dja Country, First Nations Art Officer City of Greater Bendigo
- Dr Deborah Wood: teacher and paste up artist
- Debra Nicholl: CEO of Elder Rights Advocacy
- Suzanne Phoenix: Artist, Curator #IWDforMe
- Yumi Lee: CEO of Older Women’s Network NSW
- Dr Catherine Barrett: Founder and CEO Celebrate Ageing
Presentations
- Not equal yet – layers of inequalities (ageism, sexism, racism, ableism, queerphobia, rurality)
- The #OlderWomenCount checklist – a resource for checking the valuing and inclusion of older women
- The contributions of older First Nations Women
Older women dancing – reflections on not waiting for the world to change - Where’s Lyn? – a pop art look at where older women are and where they are not.
Why the campaign is needed
Older women make valuable contributions to our society as leaders, CEOs, academics, carers, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, neighbours, colleagues and friends.
Despite this older women are devalued and experience significant disadvantage at the intersections of ageism and sexism. Older women are:
the fastest growing group of homeless – increase of 31% between 2011-2016;
more likely to live in poverty – 34% of single older women live in poverty;
more likely to experience workplace discrimination;
more likely to experience Elder Abuse than men;
more likely to be among the 50 people sexually assaulted in residential aged care each week.
2023 Campaign partner
We are proud to announce Elder Rights Advocacy as our partner for the 2023 Campaign.
Elder Rights Advocacy provides information and advocacy for people in Victoria who receive aged care services. Their service is free, confidential and independent of the government and aged care providers and support you to make sure your voice and opinion are heard.
Elder Rights Advocacy is a member of the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), a group of organisations across the country funded by the Australian Government to deliver the National Aged Care Advocacy Program.
Watch Dr Debra Wood spread her message of making older women visible through her gorgeous street art.
Older Women Count Logo


2022: Break the Ageism Bias
In 2022, the theme for our inaugural campaign drew on the global theme of Break the Bias; with a call to break the ageism and sexism biases that older women experience.
Artist Suzanne Phoenix worked with graphic designer Wuthipol Ujathammarat to develop our logo. For the past 10 years Suzanne has curated a photographic exhibition exploring what IWD means to a broad range of cis and trans women and gender diverse people (here). Suzanne’s work has been hung in the National Portrait Gallery (here).
Thanks to Plakit for distributing posters across Victoria, NSW and Canberra. We asked community members to help us find the posters and share photographs of them on social media with hashtag #OlderWomenCount.

Project Partners
The #OlderWomenCount project is a partnership between Celebrate Ageing, The Older Women’s Network NSW and photographer Suzanne Phoenix. We are passionate about valuing and respect for older women and passionate about making sure that every Australian knows that #OlderWomenCount.

Dr Catherine Barrett, CEO Celebrate Ageing Ltd

Yumi Lee, CEO Older Women’s Network NSW

Suzanne Phoenix (photo Theresa Harrison)
More Information
This project is a partnership between Celebrate Ageing Ltd and the
Older Women’s Network NSW. If you would like more information about this project, please contact:
- Project Coordinator Dr Catherine Barrett by phone on: 0429582237 or email: director@celebrateageing.org
- Suzanne Phoenix or suzannephoenixphotography@gmail.com
- Yumi Lee, CEO Older Women’s Network NSW: ceo@ownnsw.org.au