Cara Jenkin – In Adelaide, Kirsty Sword Gusmao can see that women, young and old, enjoy equal opportunities. At her home in East Timor, they still struggle for even basic gains.

In her position as First Lady of East Timor, Ms Sword Gusmao was guest speaker at the UNIFEM Adelaide Breakfast at the Adelaide Convention Centre yesterday.

She said while some people might not think International Women's Day was necessary, the plight of other women in Australia's own low socio-economic areas could go unnoticed.

Ms Sword Gusmao told the gathering, which included Governor Marjorie Jackson-Nelson, 51 per cent of East Timorese women felt unsafe in relationships because of domestic violence issues.

The information was "a real eye opener" for Adelaide High School students, who represented the new generation of women at the conference. Year 12 student Eleftheria Apostolidis said it was inspirational to hear how other women survived through hardship.

"We think it can be a pretty hard place here in Australia but it is even harder for women in East Timor," she said.