The ACT government has named its Woman of the Year as Betty Macharia who works to help victims of domestic violence and people with mental difficulties, particularly those with an African background.
"The 2023 ACT Woman of the Year is community sector worker Betty Macharia - a proud African Australian woman who has dedicated many years to volunteering in the ACT community services sector," the government statement says.
"Her contributions include volunteering as the executive secretary of the African Australian Council ACT and as an executive in the East African Community Association.
"Betty coordinates support for vulnerable women and is passionate about making a difference in mental health, domestic and family violence and overcoming barriers for culturally and linguistically diverse communities."
As well as Betty Macharia as Woman of the Year, the ACT government has chosen Jenny Mobbs as its Senior Woman of the Year and Sophie Aboud as its Young Woman of the Year.
The citation says: "Jenny has been working to make a difference for older Canberrans through her role as CEO for the Council on the Ageing (COTA) ACT. She advocates for the rights of older people and has been a representative on a range of advisory and working groups, including the ACT Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing."
Sophie Aboud is an activist working on behalf of victims of sexual violence.
The ACT government says: "Sophie Aboud is a proud intersectional feminist and activist in the sexual violence space."
