The theme of 'break the bias' aims to encourage people to actively call out gender bias, discrimination and stereotyping each time they see it.

Visionary leadership expert Fabian Dattner opened the event. Ms Dattner said humility was the essential attribute of a leader, and many of the areas that women are proven to excel in, such as collaboration and communication, are also important.

Yet women still only make up less than 7 per cent of the CEO workforce and only 32 per cent of senior management roles in Australia .

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A panel discussion followed featuring University of New England Vice-Chancellor and CEO Professor Brigid Heywood, zoologist and proud Kamilaroi woman Dr Brooke Kennedy and strategic infrastructure planning coordinator at Armidale Regional Council Lilian Colmanetti.

All agreed it was important for women to have courage and source the wisdom of colleagues and friends.

Professor Heywood said she worried women were being trained to compete in a male-dominated world - a gender equity paradigm that was relevant in the 20th century but is not so relevant now.

"We need to continuously advocate for critical structural change to be part of a more equitable society and think about how we change that leadership paradigm," she said.

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International Women's Day is celebrated annually on March 8 to commemorate women's cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements.

It is also a focal point in the women's rights movement, bringing attention to gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.

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