National Strategy for Gender Equality

There has been an overwhelming response by DCA members to National Strategy for Gender Equality. From this, DCA has submitted its response to the government’s consultation on the National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality.

In preparing this submission, DCA surveyed employees from our 1,200 member organisations, asking them to share their views on how the National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality could support and progress workplace gender equality.

Survey Outcomes

The survey was conducted over one week and we received a total of 807 responses from DCA members across a wide variety of industries.

DCA CEO, Lisa Annese said that the engagement in this consultation by DCA members showed just how important gender equality was to Australian businesses.

“We received an unprecedented response to our member consultation survey with over 800 member employees responding,” said Ms Annese.

“Achieving workplace gender equality is evidently an important issue for our members, many of whom have been working towards equity for a long time.

“We believe a National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality could be a powerful tool supporting and progressing gender equality in the workplace, and we commend the government for taking action to develop it.

“As our submission outlines, there are many systemic and cultural barriers preventing Australian workplaces from progressing gender equality. To address these issues, the Strategy must take an intersectional approach that centres the voices of marginalised groups.

“We have made a number of recommendations that we believe, if implemented, will help the Strategy to deliver real change for workplace gender equality.

“In particular, we are calling for a universal early childhood education and care system to ensure families have better access to quality, affordable care, and addresses pay inequity for the mostly female workforce. As well as improvements to parental leave, and more work to address gendered violence and harassment.”

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Download DCA’s Submission | Download the media release

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Media Contactmedia@dca.org.au.