With 8 March being International Women’s Day, we asked three Australian Christian women how they encourage other families to lead, and what can be gained by elevating the voices of girls and women. 

Melissa Lipsett, CEO of Baptist World Aid 

Melissa Lipsett has led in a variety of contexts: the military, the local church, and faith-based for-purpose organisations. Since 2021, she’s been CEO of Baptist World Aid Australia and seen how whole communities benefit when women lead. 

What’s The Benefit Of Uplifting Women In Community Development? 

We know that women are agents of change, so increasing their voice and participation across communities, civil society, and politics matter a great deal. One way we see this is in our work around disasters. When women are involved in disaster preparedness, the community is better prepared, and more lives are saved when disaster strikes. Women’s relationships with others, their understanding of their natural environment, and their roles in family and community life give them unique knowledge that is incredibly valuable in preparing for and mitigating against disasters.

We know that women are agents of change, so increasing their voice and participation across communities, civil society, and politics matter a great deal.

This is also true more generally. When women lead and participate economically, their ownership and control of productive assets speed up development, and this helps overcome poverty, reduces inequalities, and improves children’s nutrition, health, and school attendance. Everyone benefits.

How Can We Do Even More To Champion Women In Vulnerable Communities?

We must keep girls in school. With even a few years of primary education, women have better economic prospects, fewer and healthier children, and better chances of sending their own children to school. When we value and educate girls alongside boys, everyone wins.

Also, we can encourage men and boys to recognise the contribution women and girls make to their family and community. Even before our projects with women begin, our local Christian Partners garner the support of men. Although some may be initially reluctant, they usually come to understand and appreciate the important contributions women can make to enable them to have a better life.

I’m thankful to get a front row seat to the transformation that’s possible when women and girls are viewed equally and afforded equality of participation and opportunity . . . when they are afforded justice.

Joy Geyer, Associate Head of College of Hillcrest Christian College

Joy Geyer is the Associate Head at Hillcrest Christian College on the Gold Coast in Queensland. Hillcrest in a non-denominational school started as a ministry of Reedy Creek Baptist church. Joy is a passionate educator who sees the power of education daily.

What Led You To Your Passion For Literacy And Education?  

Growing up, my mother was illiterate and had some health struggles. It meant my family faced significant disadvantage. When I went to school and learned to read, I understood that literacy and education can change the trajectory of your life—impacting both the present and the future. That’s why I became a teacher and educational leader.

We use an educational model at Hillcrest Christian College which I would suggest is a human model. We recognise that children, people of any age, have needs that that must be met if they are to engage meaningfully in learning and life. Their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health all need to be met first if they are to thrive in education and their future pathways. In a changing world, it is these components of life that will build young people who can lead themselves and contribute to the broader society.

How Do You Encourage Girls At School?

When it comes to encouraging girls to meet their potential, there are challenges. There are a lot of voices telling girls who they should be today—social media offers them inauthentic representations and this often undermines their self-worth and stereotypes the roles they move into personally and professionally. It’s important to build environments where girls have the courage to step outside the trends to be who God has designed them to be. They can often be more, and do more than the world tells them. 

It’s important to build environments where girls have the courage to step outside the trends to be who God has designed them to be.

Death Valley National Park is a desert in California. Every 10 years or so when there’s the right amount of rain, sunshine and wind, dormant seeds, which have been buried, spring to life and produce a super bloom. I think it’s the same for girls—God has made them each full of potential. It’s important that we provide the right conditions for each young girl, so their potential is enhanced and blossoms rather than remaining dormant and hidden.  

Tracy Valentine, President of Baptist Women of the Pacific

Tracy is a long-time champion of women: as a Baptist pastor, a regional minister for women pastors, and in her new role with Baptist Women of the Pacific, supporting women in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Papua and West Papua, Tonga and Vanuatu.

What’s The Role Of Women In Pacific Churches?

In every country, they’re faithful in their prayer, they’re faithful in their worship, and they’re investing heavily in raising the next generation. Women make up around two-thirds of the local church and are very often the ones on the ground doing the ministry, caring for their communities and spreading the gospel. They’re incredible.

When we, as the Church, fail to recognise women’s value, we’re missing the opportunity to empower over half the Church—people who’ve already been gifted by the Holy Spirit, and are passionate about ministry. And if we don’t listen to their voices, we miss out on knowing how we can be more effective in caring for our communities and in sharing the gospel, because women are central to community, and central to our homes and families.

If we’re praying to God, asking him to send more workers, I’m a big believer in making sure that we equip and send the ones that we actually have. Empowering women is one of the most effective things we can do for the gospel.

I’ve seen many situations where women face unjust limitations on their leadership, and that’s a real shame, but it doesn’t stop them. Most of them have not done a leadership course in their life, but they are phenomenal leaders and deeply committed to discipleship. They’re doing the work—they’re the hands and feet of Jesus in the homes, prisons, hospitals, in the local market, everywhere in their local community.

What Is Your Prayer For Christian Women?

My prayer is that the Church would flourish and women would be seen as an accepted and valued part of that flourishing. I pray that they would be protected from situations of domestic violence, and have the resources they need to raise families in healthy, sustainable ways. And I pray that women would have access to not only literacy, but if they wanted to pursue it, theological education and things like that as well.

I’m also praying for the incredible young women across the Pacific region—that they would know God loves them, has a plan for them, and that they are a crucial part of the Church.

Crystal, Literacy Trainer And Community Leader

Crystal lives in the Solomon Islands where poverty and cultural norms mean functional literacy among women can be as low as seven per cent in some communities. Crystal learned to read and write so she could better understand Scripture for herself. Now, she volunteers with our local Christian Partner, teaching literacy skills to other women in villages across the Solomon Islands, and championing their right to fully participate in their community.

* Crystal’s story was featured as part of our annual Giving Day in 2026.