Women Should Have a Voice

The Women Should Have a Voice exhibition explores the social justice legacy of Western Australian parliamentarian and social justice advocate, Edith Cowan.

Elected in 1921, Cowan was the first woman admitted to an Australian Parliament, where she vowed to represent the interests of women and children. Marking the centenary of her entry to Parliament, “The women should have a voice” commemorates Cowan’s enduring influence in Western Australia. Beyond her parliamentary work, Cowan harnessed the lessons from her childhood family trauma to fuel her steely resolve in representing the interests of the voiceless, advocating for social justice causes and reform within her community.

Photo Credit:

• Edith Cowan MLA, 1922. Courtesy of the State Library of Western Australia 6004B