Resources
We’ve compiled some of the best gender equality resources available.
All in one place!
Holistic View of Gender Equality in Australia
Australia is ranked number 1 in the world for education but drops to 70 for economic participation and opportunity. Essentially, we educate women really well but don’t maximise that value in our workplace. There is a direct relationship between women’s economic participation and overall country productivity and wealth as well as a women’s individual wealth.
Measure For Measure: Gender Equality in Australia.
Per Capita, 2020.
Gender Equality in Australia.
Equality Rights Alliance, Women's Voices for Gender Equality.
Overall View of Women in Australia
Australia is ranked number 1 in the world for education but drops to 70 for economic participation and opportunity. Essentially, we educate women really well but don’t maximise that value in our workplace. There is a direct relationship between women’s economic participation and overall country productivity and wealth as well as a women’s individual wealth.
Measure For Measure: Gender Equality in Australia.
Per Capita, 2020.
Gender Equality in Australia.
Equality Rights Alliance, Women's Voices for Gender Equality.
Economic Participation & Opportunity
Australia is ranked number 1 in the world for education but drops to 70 for economic participation and opportunity. Essentially, we educate women really well but don’t maximise that value in our workplace. There is a direct relationship between women’s economic participation and overall country productivity and wealth as well as a women’s individual wealth.
Measure For Measure: Gender Equality in Australia.
Per Capita, 2020.
Gender Equality in Australia.
Equality Rights Alliance, Women's Voices for Gender Equality.
Childcare
Women undertake the majority of childcare in Australia. Barriers to childcare including total cost, take-home pay after childcare and accessibility impact women’s economic participation. From high socioeconomic countries, Australia’s national childcare policies is rated 37 from 42 countries.
Where Do Rich Countries Stand on Childcare?
A ranking of national childcare policies in wealthy countries. UNICEF 2021.
Cheaper childcare: A practical plan to boost female workforce participation.
Grattan Institute, 2020.
Reform Australia's early learning & childcare system.
https://thrivebyfive.org.au/
The cost of coming back.
KPMG, 2018.
Parental Leave
Parental leave increases women’s workforce participation, normalises men being involved in childrearing and housework, and is a lever that helps close the gender pay gap over time. Australia’s public expenditure on parental leave is less than half the OECD average.
Women in Leadership
Leadership roles (be it Corporate Australia, Public Services, Politics, Judiciary) are where decisions are made that impact all Australians lives. A lack of female representation increases the likelihood decisions will be made that do not reflect the views and needs of women.
Board Diversity Statistics.
Australian Institute of Company Directors, 2021.
COVID-19
Women have been directly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, in more ways than one. Economically, COVID-19 will affect all workers, however it has had a particular affect on women. Women’s total hours worked were down 12 per cent. The figures for men were 4 per cent and 7 per cent.
Gendered impacts of COVID-19.
Workplace Gender Equality Agency, 2020.
Superannuation
Women’s superannuation account balances are lower than men across all age groups. (e.g. 20.5% gap for 60-64 y.o and 30.2% gap for 40-44 year old). This is driven by factors including parental leave, caring and domestic responsibilities that lead to part-time work and the wage gap.
The 'Herstory' of Superannuation.
Per Capita, 2020.
How to close the gender gap in retirement incomes.
By Brendan Coates, Rebecca Joiner - Grattan Institute. 2021.
Ready Reckoner: Gender Gap Analysis.
By Sandra Buckley, Rice Warner. 2019.
The Future Face of Poverty is Female.
AustralianSuper, commissioned research by Monash University.
Gender Pay Gap
The gender pay gap is an internationally established measure of women’s position in the economy in comparison to men. Currently, Australia’s national gender pay gap is 13.4%.
Gender workplace statistics at a glance 2021.
Workplace Gender Equality Australia, 2021.
Safety, Security & Justice
At Home
Home should be a sanctuary. However, according to the Department of Social Services 1 in 4 women (23%) have experienced violence from an intimate partner. Approximately 1 woman a week is killed by a current or former intimate partner.
Change the story.
Our Watch.
At Work
Everyone should feel safe at work. A survey in 2018 by the AHRC found that 39% of women reported sexual harassment in the past 5 years at work.
Respect@Work: Sexual Harassment National Inquiry Report.
Australian Human Rights Commission, 2020.
Equality across the board: Investing in workplaces that work for everyone.
Australian Human Rights Commission, 2021.
In Society
There are many ways the safety and security of women are threatened outside the home and work. It may be walking home and being followed/harassed it could be online trolling that is gender-based.
Sexual assault in Australia.
Australian Institute of Health & Welfare, 2020.
Justice
The process for seeking justice following gender-based requires significant improvement. Definitions of consent vary by state. The quality of support for women from policy varies significantly. Within the judicial system, the treatment of victims can result in re-traumatisation.
Measure For Measure: Gender Equality in Australia.
Per Capita, March 2020
Gender Equality in Australia.
Equality Rights Alliance, Women's Voices for Gender Equality.
Health, Education & Housing
Health
Differences in hormones, organs and the physiological life cycle (periods, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause) mean women often have health needs distinct from men. These are often not well understood. For example, with endometriosis, there can be a 7 to 12-year delay in diagnosis.
Measure For Measure: Gender Equality in Australia.
Per Capita, March 2020
Gender Equality in Australia.
Equality Rights Alliance, Women's Voices for Gender Equality.
Education
Female students are participating in STEM education at significantly lower rates than males. For example, in 2017 only 28% of people working in ICT were women. In terms of respectful relations within education, Chanel Contos began collecting testimonies from school students who have experienced sexual assault. Currently, there are over 6000. It highlighted that the understanding of consent in Australian students is lacking.
The effects of pornography on children and young people.
Antonia Quadara, Alissar El-Murr and Joe Latham, The Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2017.
Advancing Women in STEM strategy.
Australia Government, Department of Industry, Science, Energy & Resources.
Housing / Homelessness
Since 2012, women seeking support from specialist homeless services, who help those homeless and those at risk of homelessness, has been increasing. There are specific gendered factors that contribute including lower wages over a lifetime, associated lower superannuation and longer lifespans.
Women’s Housing Needs in Regional Australia.
YWCA National Housing.
Older Women’s Risk of Homelessness: Background Paper.
Australian Human Rights Commission, 2019.
Older Women in the Private Rental Sector: Unaffordable, Substandard and Insecure Housing.
By Power, Emma R., Western Sydney University, 2020.
Intersectional Feminism
Disability
The BPFA ( Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 1995) sets strategic objectives and actions for the advancement of women and the achievement of gender equality in 12 critical areas of concern. Over the past two decades, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) has systemically reviewed progress in the implementation of the twelve critical areas of concern.
The Status of Women and Girls with Disability in Australia
Women with Disabilities Australia
Cultural Diversity
Culturally diverse women often experience a ‘double jeopardy’ when accessing leadership roles due to their gender and cultural background. This double jeopardy results in invisible organisational barriers that lock out culturally diverse women from accessing leadership positions in their workplaces.
Cracking the Glass-Cultural Ceiling
Diversity Council Australia
First Nations
A major message throughout Reports on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman and girls from all ages across Australia, is that structural change and systemic reform is needed, on a large scale, in order to combat and overcome inequalities and intergenerational harms and trauma.
Wiyi Yani U Thangani Report (2020)
Australian Human Rights Commission
