International Women’s Day

A couple of weeks ago, for the first time, all Australian companies that employ over 100 people were required to make their gender pay gap data public. The results demonstrated that while there have been improvements, there is still not only a gender pay gap but also a continued lack of women represented in leadership positions or traditionally male-dominated sectors, such as mining, engineering and construction.

This data highlights the importance of International Women’s Day, marked on the 8th of March every year; it is a day for the world to remember and recognise the importance of gender equality and working towards women being represented in all sectors. The theme for this year is “Inspire Inclusion”, particularly poignant considering recent weeks in Australia, with the release of gender pay gap data highlighting the continued disenfranchisement of women in many workplaces.

The first International Women’s Day was in the early 1900s. National Women’s Day had been honoured in the US since 1909, in 1910, and Clara Zetkin, a Women’s Rights political party leader, tabled the idea for an International Women’s Day. Its purpose was to celebrate women's progress but also dedicate the day to continue fighting for women’s rights internationally. From then on, a spattering of countries celebrated the day, marked with rallies and protests. Finally, in 1975, it was officially recognised by the United Nations, and two decades later, the first theme for International Women’s Day was announced.

Since the inception of social media and the internet, International Women’s Day has entered more of the mainstream and, in many countries, has become a public holiday. In Australia, many honour the day with breakfasts, speakers and open discussions around the importance of gender equality. The day aims to promote collaborative discussions and action to continue working towards closing the gender gap. In the over 110 years since the first International Women’s Day, there have been significant advances in the rights and freedoms of women.

In 1919, South Australia became the first place in Australia where  a woman had been elected to any office. Grace Benny was elected to the Holdfast Bay local council. While it had only been nine years since the first International Women's Day, the progression seen in SA showcased the ability to journey to true equality for women. However, it took until 1943 for the first women to be elected to Federal Parliament. It took until 1977 for the first sex discrimination legislation to be passed, with South Australia leading the charge.

For women during the early 1900s, it was expected they would marry before they reached their mid-twenties. It wasn’t until the 1960s that women who worked for the government or many private companies did not have to resign when they married. It was out of the question for many women to focus on their careers. This meant they turned to the home to do unpaid labour, leaving only 18% of women in the paid workforce during 1911. While legislation did change over the next decades to allow women to remain in the workforce after marriage and after childbirth, the treatment of women during the twentieth century has meant women continue to lag behind men in Australian society.

Over the past 110 years, changes have been seen in women's rights. However, the heavy burden of social expectations still sits with many young women. The desire to focus on one’s career has meant that women are getting married later and thus having children later. This gives women the opportunity that was once only given to men to expand their careers. The average age of women getting married has jumped to almost 31. Since 2022, women have made up 48% of the workforce. By no longer requiring women to retire after marriage, the workforce has grown and diversified, and women have been given the opportunity to contribute to the Australian economy.

Instead of one woman in a local council, women now make up almost 40% of the Australian Federal Parliament. These improvements in inclusion mean that women can continue to drive policy to help and support them to balance the juggling act that is being a woman. However, despite these leaps forward, instances and movements are continuously uncovered when women have been mistreated in the workplace. The #MeToo movement both in Australia and overseas highlighted how much further humanity must go to reach equality. Furthermore, the recent release of gender pay gap data in companies that hire more than 100 people highlighted that while some industries are pushing forward, many are still lagging behind.

Since 1910, when the first International Women’s Day was honoured, much progress has been made for gender equality. However, use today, the 8th of March, to recognise how far there still is to go. How can we “inspire inclusion” in our lives to ensure women feel supported in the workplace, at schools, and in their day-to-day? Remember to celebrate the wins and honour those who fought for women’s rights like Grace Benny, but also preserve and continue to expand women's rights.

Bibliography:

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Wood, R 2024, Find out the what gender pay gap is at your company, www.9news.com.au, viewed 6 March 2024, <https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-gender-pay-gap-revealed-in-new-figures/0b0d8c32-6945-4b80-92b9-e78340ed0a2f>.