Are sisters doing it for themselves?

SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES

Yesterday was International Women's' Day, a celebration of united global action for equality and change. 100 years ago, 15,000 women marched through New York City in 1908 demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights; all women living in the free world owe them, and countless others, a great deal.

A few weeks ago I visited a wonderful exhibition at BMAG charting the flourishing artistic community in Birmingham at the end of the 19th and early 20th century, and the links to BIAD. Unfortunately I went on its last day so you can't see it now - sorry.

Something on one of the interpretative cards has really stuck in my head. There were a fair few drawings and paintings by women artists, including the wonderful Florence Camm and the Bunce sisters. Beside one of their paintings it said that they were fairly typical of middle-class women of that era in that they largely pursued art for personal rather than professional reasons.

This struck a chord with me as I'd spent the previous Friday afternoon in the President's Suite at the Chamber of Commerce, marvelling that, since the Chamber's foundation in 1813, there had not been a single woman elected as President.

As with the arts community, I'm sure that there were many women involved in the Chamber over the years, but none rose to the heady heights of being the elected front man (the redoubtable Sue Battle being a paid officer). I gather that this nearly two hundred year male chain will be broken next year by Bridget Blow, which will be a momentous occasion indeed.

When we think of the history of this city, there are very few prominent women: Louisa Ryland and Dame Elizabeth Cadbury being the two which sprung to my mind.

But surely this will be different in the future? There are many women currently shaping the future of our cosmopolitan city, as one would expect for a welcoming world meeting place.

By the centenary of International Women's Day in 2011, will we have a representative business, political and civic leadership in our 'global city with a local heart'? Let's hope so.