Today is the final day of publishing for Women’s Agenda this year and what a year it has been. 2014 has been memorable for many tragically memorable reasons. For the breakout of Ebola, for an airplane disappearing from the sky and another being shot down over the Ukraine. For schoolkids being massacred in Pakistan and innocent Sydneysiders being held hostage. For journalists being brutally, and publicly, killed amid the civil wars that are raging in Iraq and Syria. For the cricketer Phillip Hughes dying far too young. For the loss of Stella Young, Gough Whitlam, Robin Williams and Luke Batty.
The year has been coloured by political manoeuvrings; the rise of the Palmer United Palmer to unsettle the Senate, the seemingly impossible task of defining meta-data, the absence of a coherent strategy to tackle climate change, ministers speaking off script, a prime minister and his chief of staff under fire. We have had policy announcements and backflips and broken promises dissected. We have talked of girlie-men, shirtfronts, frightbats and feminism. Family violence has continued to devastate our communities.
There have been bright-spots along the way too. Men and women have united to use their power to demand change, Emma Watson put gender equality firmly in the spotlight and just this week Australians have displayed incredible unity in the face of fear.
2014 is a year many of us won’t forget easily but I suspect it’s a year many of us are ready to bid farewell.
We want to thank everyone in the passionate and vibrant Women’s Agenda community for reading, commenting, engaging and sharing 2014 with us. Wherever you are, and however you celebrate, we wish you all a very merry Christmas and a safe and happy holiday.
We look forward to reconvening with you all on the 5th of January 2015. Who knows what 2015 will hold but here’s hoping it’s a year with plenty for women to celebrate.