Zonta is a worldwide group made up of professional women, which aims to advance the status of women and has been established in Orange since 1980.

With International Women's Day being held today, Dr Hatcher said there was still a need for the day to be celebrated so women's issues can be given attention.

“I think there's definitely still a need for it,” she said. “Not only for women worldwide but also women at a local level.”

The theme for this year's International Women's Day is 'Women at Work', which Mrs Hatcher said is still an important issue to be addressed.

“At a corporate level it's important, because the pay a woman executive receives is still lower than the men's level. So there needs to be awareness this is happening.”

Zonta, which is currently aiming to strengthen its numbers, fundraises for women's issues at a local and international level.

At a local level this includes art and music scholarships and funding for the Orange Family Support Group and Mission Australia, while Zonta also supports issues such as anti-trafficking on a worldwide level.

Over the past five years the Zonta Club of Orange has raised more than $75000 for local community projects which directly supported women and family issues.

Issues such as domestic violence, sexual assaults and teenage pregnancy still needed support at a local level, Dr Hatcher said.

An Orange City Council organised lunch will be held at the Canobolas Hotel today for International Women's Day, from 12pm-2pm.

Guest speakers include local magistrate Jan Stevenson and NSW Woman of the Year nominee Pam Boney.