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In the fast lane to gender equality

Official Welcome Reception of the ‘Accelerating Gender Equality: Introducing UN Women’ Summit

Speech by Elizabeth Broderick
Sex Discrimination Commissioner
Australian Human Rights Commission

The Refectory, Holme Building, Science Road
The University of Sydney

Monday, 5th September 2011

Let me start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. I pay my respects to their elders past and present.

I want to share with you my excitement at attending the launch of UN Women in the General Assembly in New York, in late February this year.

I felt so fortunate to be a part of this landmark moment in the history of the international women’s movement. As I sat there among over a 1000 advocates who had fought so hard to have a high level champion created within the UN, it brought home to me that we were entering a new era of women’s rights.

On that night, we heard the words of Hilary Clinton from the Fourth World Conference for Women repeated:

‘Human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights, once and for all.’[1]

It reaffirmed that equal opportunity for women is not a gift but a right – one which has been richly deserved but long delayed.

And it was also moving to hear the words of the Secretary General Ban Ki -Moon, who said:

‘I will support UN Women in every way I can, with every ounce of my energy and commitment.[2]’

It was heartening to see this kind of personal commitment from a male leader, especially since we all know that it will take both women and men to bring about the seismic cultural shift that is necessary to deliver equality.

We leapt to our feet in a standing ovation to welcome the new Under-Secretary General of UN Women, Dr Michelle Bachelet and heard, loud and clear, the cry of members of the GEAR Coalition when they held up signs across the room calling for people to ‘Gear Up’! It was a great thrill to be part of that event- one that I will remember for the rest of my life.

I left with a great sense of hope and excitement about what might be possible.
Fewer countries, businesses, communities and everyday people are asking the question ‘Why should we fight for gender equality?’ Today, more than ever before, they are asking ‘How can we achieve gender equality?’

In the international fight for women’s rights, I feel a stirring – there is a mood for change – and if we are smart, we will move swiftly to capitalise on it.

UN Women is doing just that – since its inception only months ago, it has already launched:

UN Women also recently launched its Strategic Plan[6]. The Plan identifies 6 goals that will determine the work of UN Women over the coming years.

There is a focus on the areas of participation, economic empowerment, violence against women and girls and leadership in peace, security and humanitarian response. UN Women also encourages:

And it doesn’t stop there. UN Women’s 18 National Committees also support UN Women in their own individual regions.

UN Women Australia, for example, recently developed an advocacy toolkit and presented a parallel session at the 55th Commission on the Status of Women to help youth activists with their efforts around gender issues[7].

It co-organised the high profile Australian Women in Science and Engineering Summit to devise strategies to address the issue of highly trained women leaving the science industry mid-career[8]. It continues to raise funds for the Pacific Fund to End Violence against Women, to which it is the second largest donor[9]. And this is just the beginning!

When I started in my role as the Sex Discrimination Commissioner in 2007, the first thing I did was undertake a Listening Tour. I travelled the length and breadth of Australia where I met many diverse groups of women and men – from abattoir workers, young women, bankers, Chinese factory workers, African women, lesbian mothers, prison advocacy groups, indigenous women, community workers, academics, business roundtables, ministers and bureaucrats just – to name just a few. What I heard informed the basis for my agenda as Sex Discrimination Commissioner, an agenda which is reflected in my Gender Equality Blueprint released last year.[10]

I was delighted to see that the goals set out in UN Women’s Strategic Plan complemented and reaffirmed the priority areas set out in my Gender Equality Blueprint.

What this tells me is that while each woman has their unique circumstances, women’s issues are not confined to any one group of countries or societies – they are universal - the issues of equal participation, economic security and violence are the same issues that affect all women, everywhere.

And of course, when we speak about promoting women’s rights and gender equality, we are not just talking about the interests of women. The kinds of changes that women have fought for and made, have been improvements not only for women, but for our community as a whole. When we talk about the progress of women, we are talking about the progress of the world.

Yes, there has been much progress, but, there is still so much to do. Whilst each of the goals set out in UN Women’s Strategic Plan is deserving of deep consideration, I want, this evening, to focus on just two – women’s economic empowerment and violence against women.

The first goal of UN Women is ‘to increase women’s access to economic empowerment and opportunities’. Why is economic empowerment an issue for women in Australia?

Firstly, as is the case in most of the world women in Australia are still not paid equally for work of equal or comparable value. This gap is compounded by the fact that most workplaces operate with a view that people who are paid more, matter more. The very existence of the pay gap further marginalises women and is an added burden. Not only are women paid less but they are perceived to be less valuable. Women earn only 83 cents for every dollar that their male counterparts earn[11]. They have only half the retirement savings of men. Many women in Australia will enter retirement in poverty. It should not come as a surprise then, that single, older women may be the new face of homelessness[12]. So what is being done in Australia?

One of Australia’s largest trade unions, Australian Service Union recently brought a case before our industrial umpire, Fair Work Australia seeking an equal remuneration order in respect of the largely female social and community services industry. The Australian Human Rights Commission also made submissions on the case[13].

Fair Work Australia released an interim decision finding “there is not equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal or comparable value .... and that at least part of the reason for that underpayment is gender[14]. A final decision is due to be handed down in the coming months. I am hopeful that the outcome of this case will see an increase in the wages of almost 200 000 mostly female workers across the country, particularly those working in health and community services industries.

Secondly, women continue to experience difficulties combining paid work with family responsibilities. In 2010 Australia was 1 of only 2 OECD countries without a paid parental leave scheme[15]. Along with others, the Commission advocated for paid parental leave and as of 1 January this year, I am glad to say, we now have a national Paid Parental Leave Scheme!

Under this scheme, new parents receive 18 weeks of leave at the federal minimum wage. And from the beginning of next year, fathers and other supporting parents will be provided with another two weeks Paid Parental Leave.

More progress came in June this year with the amendments to our federal Sex Discrimination Act, the principal piece of gender equality law in Australia. The new legislation provides men, as well as women with a greater level of legal protection for family and caring responsibilities than existed previously.

Given that significant cultural change will not occur until and unless men start working differently – more flexibly – and until they take on a greater sharing of unpaid caring roles, this reform is vital.

The second goal of UN Women that I want to talk about is ‘to prevent violence against women and girls and expand access to services’.

As I travel Australia, I often ask people to name countries where they consider violence against women to be a problem. More often than not they reel off a list of other countries, but fail to recognize the high prevalence rates in their own country.

Violence against women continues to be endemic and widespread in Australia. In 2005, 1.2 million women in Australia over the age of 15 had experienced domestic or family violence.

The gravity of this particularly for marginalised women was brought home to me by an Aboriginal woman in Perth. She explained that kin provides people with enormous strength and a profound sense of identity but as a consequence, ones connection to kin makes it difficult to leave violent partners. To leave would separate a woman not only from her family but from her traditional lands, and her entire social, cultural and spiritual world. Domestic violence also has an economic cost - costing the Australia economy $13.6b per year[16].

On 15 February 2011, the Australian Government launched a National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022. The Commission warmly welcomed the launch of the plan. We are, however, advocating for the plan to be independently monitored and evaluated. This will be important in ensuring that all Australian women, including the most vulnerable are potential beneficiaries of this plan- that is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, culturally and linguistically diverse women, women with disabilities, lesbian and trans women, older women and young women and girls.

Women living in rural areas are another particularly vulnerable group because of their isolation and consequent lack of access to legal and other services.
I recently met a courageous woman, Catherine, who lives in rural NSW, whose story has been reported in the Australian press. Catherine was repeatedly assaulted and raped by her then husband for 20 years.

When the matter progressed to court Catherine’s ex husband represented himself and was permitted to cross-examine his own daughter, who had witnessed many of the violent incidents.

Following a month-long trial, this man was found guilty on 17 charges including attempted murder. But Catherine’s story shows that there are many challenges, particularly for women living in rural and remote areas – challenges that we hope will be discussed at CSW next year when Catherine accompanies our delegation to the United Nations to tell her story.

What does the future hold?

Last year the Australian Government announced a 40% increase in funding to UN Women[17] and, in recognition of the progress made by UN Women since it began operations in January this year, Australia announced a further $2 million core contribution. This brings Australia's contribution for 2011 to $9.4 million, making us one of the leading contributors to UN Women[18].

There is no doubt the Australian government is committed to supporting UN Women, but we can and have to do more. It has been noted that of all of the Millennium Development Goals, those relating to women have shown the worst performance to date[19]. Even now, UN Women cannot support many of the countries that request assistance due to the limited availability of human and financial resources.

As Michelle Bachelet recently stated at the Annual Session of the UN Women Executive Board, UN Women needs:

‘Greater resources, more dynamic partnerships, more men and boys taking leadership to advance women’s rights, and significantly enhanced capacity ... for improving the lives of women and girls who need us most and who have a huge amount to offer in return.[20]’

The creation of UN Women represents an historic opportunity to jump-start progress for women– it heralds a new chapter in the fight for women’s rights.

I am humbled and excited today, to be in the company of so many women and men who through their dedication, commitment and energy have found the courage to speak out, to make change and to support each other through UN Women.

Yours are profound accomplishments - accomplishments that provide a solid foundation for the next evolution of our struggle.

As I look around this room tonight I have abundant confidence for the future of the women’s movement both here in Australia and globally.

Thank you.

[1] Hillary Rodham Clinton 1995, Remarks to the U.N. 4th World Conference on Women Plenary Session, American Rhetoric – Top 100 Speeches at http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/hillaryclintonbeijingspeech.htm (Accessed: 12 August 2011)
[2] United Nations Secretary General 2011, Remarks at UN Women Launch, at http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2011/sgsm13415.doc.htm (Accessed 12 August 2011)
[3] UN Women – National Committee Australia 2011, Bringing Widows to the Forefront: UN Women to Implement Programme for Widows in South Asia, News (18 April 2011) at http://www.unifem.org.au/AnnouncementRetrieve.aspx?ID=49541 (Accessed: 12 August 2011)
[4] UN Women 2011, UN Launches Initiative to Make Cities Safer for Women and Children, News (22 June 2011) at http://www.unwomen.org/2011/06/un-launches-initiative-to-make-cities-safer-for-women-and-children/ (Accessed: 12 August 2011)
[5] UN Women 2011, Progress of the World’s Women: In Pursuit of Justice at http://progress.unwomen.org/ (Accessed: 12 August 2011)
[6] Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women 2011, UN-Women Strategic Plan 2011-13 at http://www.unwomen.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/UNW-2011-9-StrategicPlan2011-2013_advance-unedited_20110517.pdf (Accessed: 12 August 2011)
[7] UN Women Australia 2011, UN Women Australia heads to CSW in New York, News (14 February 2011) at http://www.unifem.org.au/AnnouncementRetrieve.aspx?ID=45816 (Accessed: 12 August 2011)
[8] UN Women Australia 2011, Supporting Australian Women in Science (28 July 2011) at http://www.unifem.org.au/AnnouncementRetrieve.aspx?ID=53656 (Accessed: 12 August 2011)
[9] The Sun Herald’s City to Surf 2011, UN Women Australia’s Fundraising Page at http://www.fundraise.city2surf.com.au/unwomenaustraliac2s (Accessed: 12 August 2011)
[10] Australian Human Rights Commission 2010, 2010 Gender Equality Blueprint at http://www.humanrights.gov.au/sex_discrimination/publication/blueprint/index.html (Accessed 12 August 2011)
[11] Australian Bureau of Statistics, Average Weekly Earnings, Cat. 6302, cited in Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency, Gender Workplace Statistics at a Glance. at http://www.eowa.gov.au/Research_And_Resources.asp (viewed 6 July 2011).
[12] Australian Policy Online 2011, A predictable crisis: older, single women as the new face of homelessness at http://www.apo.org.au/research/predictable-crisis-older-single-women-new-face-homelessness (Accessed 12 August 2011)
[13] Australian Human Rights Commission 2011, Application by the Australian Municipal, Administrative, Clerical and Services Union and Others for an Equal Remuneration Order in the Social and Community Services Industry - Submissions of Australian Human Rights Commission at http://www.fwa.gov.au/sites/remuneration/submissions/AHRC_Final_Submission.pdf 9Accessed 12 August 2011)
[14] Australian Services Union 2011, FWA says “Yes to Equal Pay” - more information required before pay rates are set at http://asumembers.org.au/sacs/sacs-news/1473-fwa-says-yes-to-equal-pay (Accessed: 12 August 2011)
[15] Parliament of Australia – Parliamentary Library 2010, Background Note – Paid Parental Leave at http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/bn/eco/PaidParentalLeave.htm (Accessed 12 August 2011)
[16] The National Council to Reduce Violence
against Women and their Children 2009, The Cost of Violence against Women and their Children, pp. 4 at http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/women/pubs/violence/np_time_for_action/economic_costs/Documents/VAWC_Economic_Report.PDF (Accessed: 12 August 2011)
[17] UN Women Australia 2010, Press Release: Australian Government Announces $14.5 Million in Funding for UN Women at http://www.unifem.org.au/AnnouncementRetrieve.aspx?ID=41520 (Accessed: 12 August 2011)
[18] AusAID 2011, Australia welcomes UN Women’s new Strategic Plan at http://www.ausaid.gov.au/hottopics/topic.cfm?ID=8948_9535_6719_8268_6074&From=HT (Accessed: 12 August 2011)
[19] UN News Centre 2011, UN Women’s first chief voices optimism after being named to new post at http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=35944&Cr=women&Cr1 (Accessed: 12 August 2011)
[20] UN Women 2011, Introductory Statement by Michelle Bachelet at the Annual Session of the UN Women Executive Board at https://www.unwomen.org/2011/06/introductory-statement-by-michelle-bachelet-at-the-annual-session-of-the-un-women-executive-board/ (Accessed: 12 August 2011)