Canberra strives for gender parity this International Women’s Day


Released 08/03/2018

This year, fueled by movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp, International Women’s Day continues to focus on gender parity – or true gender equality which is in line with the work that the ACT Government is delivering through its range of targeted initiatives and programs.

I am particularly happy to report that we are making significant progress toward an inclusive, diverse and equal community for all Canberrans.

Since the release of the ACT Women’s Plan 2016-26, the ACT Government has been working with the community to break down barriers and create pathways for women to achieve their dreams and ambitions.

It is timely that the ACT Office for Women has just released its 2017 Annual Report Card (attached), which provides a snapshot of where we are now and an overview of some of the things we have achieved for women in the ACT in 2017. It also highlights where improvements can and must be made.

The ACT has the largest percentage of women holding positions on government boards and committees at 45 per cent, exceeding the national average of 42.7 per cent. A strong increase over the past 12 months has resulted in 67.1 per cent female employment rate, well above the five year average of 64.7 per cent.

There has been a focus on recruiting more women through the ACT Fire and Rescue community based recruitment processes. Since June 2016, 34 new firefighters have been employed, with nearly a quarter being women. This is a great first step towards the 50:50 gender balance target the government has set itself in this area.

Significant work has been undertaken this year in supporting families who are impacted by domestic and family violence through the Safer Families program. In coming months, we will have more to say about the next phase of our Family Safety Hub and additional frontline training for ACT Government workers. More information on Safer Families can be found here.

A number of directorates have achieved or are seeking White Ribbon accreditation, sending a strong message that domestic violence is not acceptable and not accepted by the ACT Government.

In the sporting sector, Active Canberra has established a partnership with Her Canberra to deliver Her Canberra Active. This online portal connects a large network of Canberra women and girls with articles related to sport and physical activity, event information and a directory of active opportunities.

In order to better support the health needs of women from a range of cultural backgrounds, ACT Health has completed twelve Community Cultural Profiles. The profiles will assist health care workers to better understand and appreciate possible cultural impacts on health in culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Other ways in which the ACT Government supports women and gender equality in our community is through the women’s information services, education, housing and homelessness and through a number of grants and awards programs, including the ACT Women of the Year Awards which were held on 6 March.

I’d like to wish everyone across Canberra a very happy International Women’s Day.

Find more about the ACT Office for Women’s report card at http://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/women/2017-annual-report-card

- Statement ends -

Yvette Berry, MLA | Media Releases

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