In 2020, the Gari Yala project documented the workplace experiences and recommendations of over 1,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers. This follow-up report analyses the original survey results by gender.
The findings reveal that Indigenous women who are carers are experiencing ‘triple jeopardy’ – that is, the combination of these three aspects of their identity are amplifying their experiences of discrimination and exclusion at work. These Indigenous women with caring responsibilities are:
- more likely to feel unsafe in the workplace,
- more likely to carry extra expectations to make their workplace culturally sensitive and engaged, and
- less supported when they encounter racism and unfair treatment.
The 2021 gendered Gari Yala report also highlights the need for managers to create safe workplaces for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers. Leading organisations who prioritise inclusion and diversity see less staff turnover and higher rates of employee satisfaction for Indigenous staff.
On the other hand, women in culturally unsafe workplaces were over 10 times more likely to be often or very often treated unfairly at work than Indigenous women who work in culturally safe businesses; and around 20 times more likely to hear racial or ethnic slurs.
This report is a collaboration between the UTS Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, the Diversity Council Australia (DCA) and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA).
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