I was excited last week to see so much discussion about gender equality and significant media coverage of International Women’s Day. As the celebrations come to a close, it is critical that we each commit to doing something differently this year if progress is going to be made.
The theme for International Women’s Day was ‘Let’s not wait another 20 years for gender equality’ referencing the 20th anniversary since 189 member states of the UN agreed to what remains, the most progressive blueprint for gender equality.
Over the course of last week, I reflected on the hope that I had as an 11 year old, of a world where I would be judged on what I could contribute, not on my gender. At primary school, I am not sure I spent a lot of time thinking about gender issues, because equality just seemed so inevitable to me.
Twenty years later, I feel a little bit cheated, with the gender pay gap widening, women’s workforce participation stagnating, women continuing to be under represented in leadership roles and my risk of experiencing violence remaining exactly the same.
And I recognise that I am one of the lucky ones. Being born in Australia is for the most part, lucky. Having access to a good education and family support is without doubt lucky. And, being born an Anglo woman comes with a level of privilege that I don’t take for granted.
Gender equality will be achieved through the implementation of laws and policies that provide for equality and shift power from men to be shared more equally with women. But it will also depend on effectively challenging the attitudes which perpetuate inequality.
In Australia, we have strong laws which in theory provide for gender equality, protect women from violence and ensure women’s rights in the family and workplace. However, the application of these laws is not universal and many groups within our society are not aware of their rights, or able to access them, due to language or accessibility issues.
Undoubtedly, more work is needed in the policy space to provide for equality. It is telling that conversations about childcare and paid parental leave are still framed as ‘women’s issues’ rather than workplace or societal issues. Most workplaces now recognise that flexibility is a central driver of workforce participation for women, but few are realising the potential of a flexible workforce in practice. The National Committee for UN Women will continue to advocate for a National Workforce Participation Strategy to address the gap between men and women’s workforce participation, which has stalled in the last five years.
Attitudes are the hardest nut to crack. Ultimately, the views we have about the role of women and men in our society are formed over our lifetime, and are deeply held. Fundamental to eliminating violence against women, will be investing in programs that challenge male attitudes towards women’s roles and the use of power and control in relationships. This sort of societal shift will take time, but sustained investment is needed.
This week, I will be joining some 9000 women and men from around the world in New York, at the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Does it risk being a talk fest? Maybe. But it is also the best hope we have for driving global accountability for gender equality. 20 years on from the Beijing Conference, we should be holding the next World Conference on Women – but we aren’t, because there is a realization that world leaders would not be able to reach the sort of progressive agreements reached in Beijing 20 years ago. It is not just that progress is to slow, it risks going backwards. If we continue to do exactly what we are currently doing, we will be having the same conversations 20 years from now.
To all the girls who hope their future will include equal opportunities, we need to make a different promise. This week, as you reflect on your IWD experience, I hope that you will consider taking one of the following actions to accelerate progress towards gender equality:
- Talk to the men and boys in your life about the importance of them sharing unpaid work responsibilities with women, in order to facilitate and enable women’s workforce participation
- Review the flexibility measures offered by your employer and explore whether you might be able to work flexibly, to role model that flexible work does not reflect lower commitment or capacity.
- Be active in promoting the #HeforShe campaign via social media, encouraging men to play an active role in gender equality
- Call out sexism in the workplace and in the community and remind your friends and co-workers that sexism undermines equality and reinforces traditional roles that disadvantage women
- Commit to mentoring a woman in your circle of influence. You don’t need to wait till you are a senior executive to do this!
- Donate to UN Women which is working on the ground in 96 countries to achieve gender equality.