logo
Workplaces urged to back equality and diversity efforts

Workplaces urged to back equality and diversity efforts

West Australian3 days ago
Australian workplaces have made considerable progress on gender equality and job quality but experts say some sectors are falling short on senior representation of women and gendered segregation.
As humanitarian crises and foreign aid cuts threaten women's organisations amid a global backlash against gender equality, UN Women Australia is calling on leaders to foster inclusive and resilient workplaces.
"Global instability is leading to the de-prioritisation of humanitarian causes, including gender equality and diversity, equity and inclusion, as governments and organisations redirect resources to immediate crises," chief executive Simone Clarke told AAP.
"Economic pressures are causing cuts to equity-focused roles and programs, while rising job insecurity and political polarisation are undermining inclusive workplace cultures."
While there has been progress and efforts to close the gender pay gap and better value work in highly feminised essential sectors, there is room to do more.
The gender pay gap sits at 21.8 per cent for total remuneration, but this does not make sense given the high levels of education of women, Australian Centre for Gender Equality and Inclusion at Work director Rae Cooper said.
"We have significant care gaps where women do the great majority of unpaid care - we need to focus on ways to boost men's contribution here," she said.
"Affordable, accessible and high-quality care is a must if we want to get to a gender equal economy and society, so moving to a model of universal early childhood education is critical."
Professor Cooper will speak at a UN Women Australia panel event on leading with resilience.
She said Australia was at the top of international league tables, with a highly qualified and educated female workforce, but there was more to do.
"To build resilient, inclusive and productive workplaces, Australia must continue its trajectory to foreground gender equality and job quality across the economy," she said.
"We are still not there on strong representation of women in senior and strategic roles and gendered segregation, where jobs and whole sectors are dominated by one gender, is still a problem, so careful attention to these matters is critical."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

French prison for drug kingpins in political spotlight
French prison for drug kingpins in political spotlight

Perth Now

time16 minutes ago

  • Perth Now

French prison for drug kingpins in political spotlight

At Vendin-le-Vieil Prison, France's most dangerous drug kingpins will be guarded by 250 wardens. (AP PHOTO) At Vendin-le-Vieil Prison, France's most dangerous drug kingpins will be guarded by 250 wardens. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP They are France 's most dangerous drug kingpins, according to the country's justice minister — prison inmates so wealthy and powerful that even behind bars, they can continue to order assassinations, run narco-trafficking operations and launder money. Flexing his powers as minister in charge of the French prison system, Gérald Darmanin's solution to the problem is contentious. He is moving 100 inmates — men he describes as "France's biggest criminals" — into an austere maximum security penitentiary in the country's north that critics say has echoes of tough US prisons. The move is also possibly vote-catching for Darmanin, who has joined a growing field of possible successors to President Emmanuel Macron after the next election, less than two years away. In the newly reinforced Vendin-le-Vieil prison, the selected inmates will be locked in individual cells for 23 hours on most days. Largely cut off from the world, Darmanin argues, they will no longer be able to fuel drug-related violence, which has become a political issue ahead of the 2027 presidential election. "We are here to guarantee that they don't speak to the outside, that they don't continue their trafficking outside, that they don't corrupt prison officers, magistrates, police officers," Darmanin said on primetime evening television after the first 17 inmates were transferred earlier this week to Vendin-le-Vieil from other, less secure facilities. Another 12 were moved in on Thursday. France has had a long history of both notorious prisons (the Bastille) and prisoners — both real (Napoleon) and fictional ("The Count of Monte Cristo"). Still, Vendin-le-Vieil's lock-up conditions are exceptional, similar to the ultra-secure "Supermax" prison in the United States and Italy's tough "carcere duro" incarceration rules for Mafia members. Vendin-le-Vieil already houses some of France's most infamous prisoners — including Salah Abdeslam, lone survivor of a team of Islamic State extremists that terrorised Paris in 2015, killing 130 people in gun and bomb attacks. To make way for the specially selected 100 inmates — some already convicted, others in pre-trial detention — many other Vendin-le-Vieil inmates were moved out. The newcomers will be grouped in the prison's new "Section for Combatting Organised Crime," with reinforced security and regulations, and equipped with systems to block mobile phone signals and drones. Among those on the list for Vendin-le-Vieil is Mohamed Amra, nicknamed "The Fly," who staged an escape last year that killed two guards and then fled to Romania before he was captured and returned to France. The newcomers will have just one hour a day in a prison exercise yard, in groups of no more than five. The rest of the time, they will mostly be confined to individual cells fitted with holes so prison guards can handcuff them before moving them and with ratchet systems so inmates can't yank the doors open or shut when they have to be unlocked. They will be guarded by 250 wardens — elsewhere, the ratio is usually 20 guards to 100 inmates, Darmanin told French broadcaster TF1. Instead of unlimited calls with family members from prison phones, they will be limited to a maximum of two hours, twice a week — a restriction that Darmanin says will make monitoring their conversations easier. Prison visiting rooms have also been equipped with security glass dividers to prevent physical contact between inmates and visitors. Darmanin says this will prevent mobile phones and other contraband from being smuggled in. The new Vendin-le-Vieil inmates also won't have the rights accorded in other prisons of intimate time with partners and family members. Darmanin said the conditions will be "extremely hard" but are necessary because France risks "tipping into narco-banditry" in the absence of tough decisions. Critics say Darmanin is taking a gamble by grouping together so many inmates he describes as dangerous. "From what I know, even when they're placed under the strictest isolation, they're so smart that they always find ways to communicate with each other," said May Sarah Vogelhut, a lawyer for one of the prisoners transferred this week. "It's almost more like a networking club for billionaire narco-traffickers." She and others also say the tough conditions could inflict an unacceptable toll on the prisoners' mental health. Vogelhut said her 22-year-old client was a major drug dealer in the southern French port city of Marseille and was convicted and sentenced to 25 years for torturing his victims. He is appealing his sentence. Held in isolation in another prison before his transfer to Vendin-le-Vieil, his biggest concern was the glass barrier that will prevent him from hugging his mother and touching other visitors, Vogelhut said. "Like what we French see in American movies, when the person is behind a glass and you talk through a phone," she said. "I find that inhumane. I mean, imagine that a guy spends 10 years there — for 10 years, he can't hug his mother?" she said. "I think it's going to dehumanise them." First as a minister for public accounts, then as interior minister and since last December as justice minister, Darmanin has proven to be one of Macron's most loyal lieutenants. His close ties with the unpopular president, who can't run again, could work against Darmanin if he runs in 2027. But his government experience and tough-on-crime rhetoric could work in his favour with voters. Darmanin has announced plans for at least two other high-security prison units for convicted and accused drug traffickers, one of them in the overseas territory of French Guiana. Vogelhut accuses Darmanin of angling for votes and playing on: "French people's fears and anxieties". "It won't solve any problems," she said. "There won't be any less crime."

Labor goes ‘mad cow' in Question Time over US relations
Labor goes ‘mad cow' in Question Time over US relations

Sky News AU

time2 hours ago

  • Sky News AU

Labor goes ‘mad cow' in Question Time over US relations

Sky News host Danica De Giorgio discusses the Australian parliament's resumed Question Time and how it is already going 'mad cow'. 'The highlight of the parliamentary week, Barnaby Joyce the MVP of the week, I have got to say … he was there talking about beef tariffs,' Ms De Giorgio said. 'But I actually think he has summed up the first week of parliament right there, like steer's fighting in the neighbour's paddock and all going a bit mad cow already.'

Funeral held for backpacker killer
Funeral held for backpacker killer

Sky News AU

time3 hours ago

  • Sky News AU

Funeral held for backpacker killer

Ooops, an error has occurred! Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we'll help resolve the issue or try again later. The Streaming Subscription provides Australians access to top rating opinion shows, award-winning political coverage, live breaking news, sport and weather, expert business insights and groundbreaking documentaries across four dedicated news channels for $5 a month. This includes: Sky News – Australia's news channel featuring award-winning journalists, insights from the biggest names in opinion, ground-breaking special investigations, and live breaking news, sport and weather. Available live and on-demand. Sky News Extra – A dedicated 24/7 channel featuring live press conferences and Parliament broadcasts, with unfiltered access to Australian democracy in action. Available live. Sky News Weather – Australia's only 24/7 weather channel bringing you the latest weather forecasts from the country's largest team of meteorologists. Available live. FOX SPORTS News – Australia's only 24/7 sports news channel, first and live in breaking sports news. Available live. Stream Sky News channel shows in full live and on-demand on or the Sky News Australia app and cast to your compatible TV. For the best streaming experience, stream your favourite Sky News shows on your compatible Smart TV. For a step-by-step guide on how to sign in on your Smart TV or to find out if your Smart TV is compatible, visit our help page. There is no lock-in contract when you subscribe to a Streaming Subscription. Renewals occur automatically unless cancelled as per full Terms and Conditions . The Streaming Subscription is not available outside of Australia. If overseas (excluding New Zealand), you can access your favourite Sky News Australia programs by signing up to Australia Channel. Sky News Australia's international 24/7 news streaming service. Find out more here. You can continue to access digital-only content, video highlights, and listen to the latest podcasts without a subscription on our website and app. The Streaming Subscription gives subscribers live stream access to unrivalled news and opinion content across four dedicated news channels 24/7.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store