The Edna Ryan Awards, also referred to as simply "The EDNAs", were Australian awards established to recognise women who have "made a feminist difference" in New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory. They are named for activist Edna Ryan, after her death in 1998. The last awards were given in 2023, with awards being discontinued in 2024.
The inaugural Edna Ryan Awards were held in 1998, the year following the death of their namesake Edna Ryan. Ryan was a life-long feminist, labour movement activist, and mentor and role model for a whole generation of women. The awards were created to honour her life and work by a group of her friends, particularly Eva Cox and other members of the Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL).
Ryan had been closely involved with WEL, particularly the Women in the Workforce group which she convened. WEL hosted and administered the EDNAs from 1998 to 2010, but from 2012 they were administered by The Edna Ryan Awards Committee and hosted by the Australian Services Union (ASU). In 2020 the Older Women's Network (OWN) NSW took over hosting the awards.
Since their inception the awards have recognised many high-profile Australian women for their feminist activity, including Eva Cox, Meredith Burgmann, Susan Ryan, Anne Summers, Wendy McCarthy, Jane Caro, and Sally McManus. Many of the recipients have been tireless advocates for women's rights who worked as community activists over a long period with very little other reward or recognition.
In 2024, following the deaths of both of Edna's daughters, the decision was taken to discontinue these awards.
Nominees for the awards must be comfortable identifying as a feminist and must live or work in NSW or the ACT as Ryan did during her lifetime. A panel reviews all nominations and the awards are presented on an annual basis at an evening social event.
The award categories can vary but in later years there were awards in many fields, including workforce, government, arts, community activism, media/communications, leadership, mentoring, sport, and education.
The awards are not intended as simply recognition of women who are successful in their own field, but require evidence that their achievements or actions have made a feminist difference by improving the lives and status of women within the community. The "Grand Stirrer Award" is for inciting others to challenge the status quo.