Who was Edith Cowan?
Edith Cowan was the first woman elected to an Australian parliament. She won a seat in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly in 1921, and is remembered for her work for women's and children's rights.
Cowan was born in 1861 near Geraldton, Western Australia. Her childhood was difficult: her mother died when she was seven, and her father was later executed for murder.
She married James Cowan and became involved in community work, helping to found organizations such as the Karrakatta Club, a women's group, and the Children's Protection Society.
Politician and reformer
Cowan campaigned for women's rights, better health care and the protection of children. She helped establish the King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women in Perth.
As a member of parliament, she introduced the Women's Legal Status Act, which allowed women to enter professions such as law. She served one term until 1924.
Cowan appears on the Australian $50 note. Edith Cowan University in Perth, established in 1991, and the federal electorate of Cowan are named in her honor.
She was also one of the first women in Western Australia to be appointed a justice of the peace.