Women, for thousands of years, have been trivialised by the shadow of man. The image of women that is portrayed in society, especially in the workforce, undermines the abilities and capabilities of women. Likewise it adheres to the philosophy that a woman’s value is measured by looks, management of a household and the opinion of not only society but man. However, many women are now at the forefront of new incentives that are stimulating change in rural and remote areas.

Historically, women who live in rural areas are purposeful and strong women who are disadvantaged by a lack of opportunities, factors of abuse and inequality. The UN Women’s Executive Director, Janelle Weissman said, ‘rural women are the invisible mainstay of community resilience and sustainability’. If we consider this statement, then what is the role of rural women in driving change in their communities? Unfortunately, there is a lack of recognition for the efforts and contributions of rural women, despite the fact that rural women are key constituents in agricultural production, citizenship, climate advocacy and even food security.

In order to understand the circumstances faced by rural women, it’s crucial to examine the diversity of their experiences, especially in the context of change. Rural women also face the challenges of gender inequality, gender division of labour and gender bias which all impact the control women have in their communities and households, their access to resources and hinder their potential to create change. Women are also subjected to the issues surrounding access to educational opportunities and access to learning facilities.

Evidently, it’s not just the inequalities women face in society or even the land of which they live on. The roles that women play in rural communities contributes to quality of rural life and community structure in these areas; they improve it. Some great examples of Australian women who have excelled in their professions and have overcome adversity are: Cathy Freeman, “Disappointment and adversity can be catalysts for greatness. There’s something particularly exciting about being the hunter, as opposed to the hunted. And that can make for powerful energy” and Nova Peris, the first indigenous female parliamentarian,“As a child growing up, I dreamt big. Most people would have looked at an Aboriginal girl from the Territory, where the statistics…point to every reason why I should not succeed. But I was determined to be successful.” These women are two amongst many females who, despite hardship and tribulation proved worthy of their aspirations.

So what is the role of rural women in driving change in their communities? Simple. We are the beginning of change, ending of stigma and existing as examples of experiences.