The path forward
When gender and sexuality, as intersectional considerations, are meaningfully incorporated into policy and program design, it ensures that the diverse experiences of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are included, supported and empowered. This enables greater access to appropriate services and improved outcomes for those accessing them, as well as elevating the voices of women and gender diverse peoples in advocacy and decision-making.
Priority actions
National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality
The Commonwealth is developing a National Strategy to guide whole-of-government actions to achieve the goal of Australia being one of the most gender-equal countries in the world. The National Strategy will demonstrate how the Commonwealth will prioritise gender equality, and set out concrete actions that focus on: women’s economic equality and independence; leadership, representation and rights; balancing family and care responsibilities; and health and wellbeing. Focusing on these areas recognises the current gender inequalities experienced by people in Australia, including First Nations women.
The Commonwealth has also established the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce to provide independent advice to the Commonwealth on a range of issues facing women in Australia, and inform the development of the National Strategy.
Gender responsive budgeting
The Commonwealth has committed to implement gender responsive budgeting. Gender responsive budgeting and gender impact assessments are practical ways of embedding gender equality into the design of policy and government decision-making. As a first step, the Commonwealth conducted a pilot to conduct gender impact assessments on select policy proposals during the 2022–23 October Budget process. The insights from this pilot will inform next steps and the evolution of the approach over future Budgets, and consideration of the most appropriate model for the Australian context. Gender responsive budgeting creates better and fairer outcomes for all Australians, and ensures women including First Nations women, as well as men and gender diverse people have equal access to opportunities and resources.
Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) project
The Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) Securing Our Rights, Securing Our Future Report (Women’s Voices Report), delivered by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO on 9 December 2020, is a landmark document that elevates the voices of First Nations women and girls and is informing all governments with a better understanding of their strengths, challenges and aspirations for change.
The Commonwealth is supporting the delivery of the Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) First Nations Women and Girls National Summit in May 2023, which will bring First Nations women and girls from across Australia together to empower women’s leadership at a national level. The Commonwealth is also supporting the development of a Framework for Action to guide stakeholders to effectively identify and invest in First Nations-led strengths-based initiatives and Action Coalitions to identify systemic change initiatives at the community level, which will be showcased during the Summit.
Mandatory Australian Public Service culturally sensitive gender training
Work has begun on developing an Australian Public Service-wide culturally sensitive gender training program to inform decision-makers in policy and program design. The training will deliver an online resource that will focus on improving the capability of the Australian Public Service to understand gender constructs and its impacts on public policy and policy development, in relation to First Nations peoples. The training enables the Australian Public Service to identify and challenge unconscious biases that result in decisions based on stereotypes. This initiative supports Priority Reform Three.
Improving gender representation on boards
Having diverse women in visible, influential and decision-making positions across all levels and sectors of society is vital to driving cultural change and ensuring diverse views and experiences are represented at decision-making tables. The Commonwealth is exploring options to improve gender representation on the boards of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006.
Summary of new actions
Women’s Safety measures are covered in Outcome 13 – Families and Households are Safe*.
*A full appendix of new and existing measures being undertaken by the Commonwealth to support Closing the Gap efforts is on the NIAA website, at Closing the Gap implementation measures.