Gender equality has come a long way in Australia since women demanded and earned the right to vote in 1902.
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However, the statistics still show huge disparities between men and women - particularly when it comes to family and domestic violence.
One in three women aged 15 and over has experienced violence in the past five years according to the Australian Human Rights Commission.
One in four women has experienced violence since they were 15 and one in five women experienced sexual violence.
The Australian Human Rights Commission reported in 2014 that domestic and family violence was the leading cause of preventable deaths, injury and illness among women aged 15 to 44 years.
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day on March 8, is #BeBoldForChange.
International Women’s Day is the time to take action and help create a more gender inclusive world, and everyone can play a part in helping drive better outcomes for women.
The World Economic Forum predicts the gender gap won’t close entirely until 2186.
The Global Gender Gap Report 2016 looked at the magnitude of gender disparities and tracked the changes over time, with a specific focus on the relative gaps between women and men across four key areas: health, education, economy and politics.
The 2016 report covered 144 countries and said the world faced an “acute misuse of talent” by not acting faster to tackle gender inequality.
Findings for 2016 showed progress towards parity in the key economic pillar slowed dramatically with the gap – which stands at 59 per cent – now larger than at any point since 2008.
Women around the world on average earn just over half of what men earn despite, on average, working longer hours taking paid and unpaid work into account.
The number of women in senior positions remains stubbornly low, with only four countries in the world having equal numbers of male and female legislators, senior officials and managers, despite the fact that 95 countries now have as many – if not more – women educated at university level.
In 2015, projections based on the Global Gender Gap Report data suggested that the economic gap could be closed within 118 years, or 2133. However the progress has reversed since then, having peaked in 2013.
Around the world, IWD provides an opening for ground-breaking action that will drive greater change for women.
It’s an opportunity to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.