By Tania Phillps
The inaugural Edna Ryan Awards, known as the ‘EDNAs’, were held in 1998, the year following Edna’s death.
They were created by a group of her friends and the NSW Women’s Electoral Lobby (WEL) to honour her life and work, and to acknowledge the contributions other women make in the areas she cared about.
The EDNAs are a celebration of a political life and an affirmation of feminist activists.
Edna was very much involved with WEL and, in particular, the Women in the Workforce group, which she convened. WEL hosted and administered the EDNAs from 1998 – 2010.