Kellie said: “I find it heartening to see how far women have come, but I still find it frustrating how many barriers remain for women – from those who feel their voices are not being heard or listened to, to those who are limited due to a lack of opportunities.
“We are on the right track, especially if you look at the growing number of female MLAs and MPs returned over the last number of elections. Women are encouraged that no step is too big for them to take and I hope this message is clear to the next generation growing up at the minute.
“One such woman is Canada’s Donna Strickland, who was awarded this year’s Nobel Prize for physics. She is only the third woman to ever be recognised in this category alongside Marie Curie in 1903 and Maria Goeppert-Mayer in 1963.
“We should never lose the fact that we are moving forward. We are always marching forward.” – Dr. Donna Strickland said earlier this year.”
Kellie added: “Today 100 years on from the first woman casting her vote we still have barriers to smash. It is important women and girls everywhere take a second today to remember those who went before them and appreciate all they gave for our futures.”