The unpaid economy - encompassing volunteering, domestic household tasks (such as cooking and cleaning), care of adults (the elderly or people with disability, both within and outside of immediate family) and childcare - is one third bigger than the economy formally reported in the national accounts.   The report reveals that the bulk of the value of unpaid work in the economy is unpaid childcare, and  72% of unpaid work is conducted by females. http://www.pwc.com.au/australia-in-transition/publications/understanding-the-unpaid-economy-mar17.pdf

A new report from the OECD recognises that Australia’s strong economy has helped drive a healthy job market, but recommends Australia needs to help older women, indigenous Australians and mothers with young children into work to avoid a future labour shortage as the population ages. 

Statistics reveal that the employment rate of women aged 25-54 years stands at 72.5%, in the lower third of OECD countries, with a high proportion of women working  part-time [exceeded only by Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria and Germany] . The employment rate of single mothers was 50.8% in 2014, the third-lowest in the OECD after Ireland and Turkey.

Despite some media headlines,  the OECD report does not consider stay-at-home mums a drain on the economy but rather an untapped resource that could be harnessed if barriers such as expensive childcare and the lack of flexible work options were removed.

http://www.oecd.org/australia/australia-should-help-more-women-and-other-underemployed-groups-into-work.htm 

The Women’s Agenda Ambition Report 2017 tells us women want to earn more, and they need pay equity and fair opportunities for promotion to achieve their potential.  Building women's competence and capacity helps but they also need to build confidence - which is where belonging to BPW comes in.  Our members gain confidence from the safe mentoring environment of their BPW club, the role models they find there, the opportunities to contribute their experience to our advocacy and lobbying, and the information we share that increases their knowledge and understanding of government policies and programs and more flexible working options that are available to them. 

https://womensagenda.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Ambition-Report.pdf

The latest Gender diversity progress report  for December - February 2017 confirms that the AICD’s target of 30% women on ASX 200 boards is on track to be met by the end of 2018.

http://aicd.companydirectors.com.au/advocacy/board-diversity/30-per-cent-women-on-boards-target-on-track

The Gender Diversity Progress Report  confirms that women now account for 25% of ASX 200 board positions, up from 8.3% in 2009 when the AICD began reporting on gender diversity. The ASX top 20 is leading the way, with 31.1% women, and the ASX 50 is close to reaching the target with 29.2% women.  AICD Managing Director and CEO John Brogden said that while the increase in companies with at least 30% women was great news, the ASX 50-200 companies needed to significantly improve the appointment rate of women to their boards. 

This International Women’s Day the AICD asked nine prominent female directors to read out some of the feedback we received when we asked if there should be more women in Australian boardrooms, proving that the diversity conversation still matters. Watch the video here:

http://aicd.companydirectors.com.au/advocacy/board-diversity/international-womens-day-2017

There was no escaping the cost of abandoning this obligation, as demonstrated clearly by more than fourteen International and Australian speakers at the JERA International Who Cares! National forum in Melbourne on Monday 20 February 2017.

economic Security 4 Women (eS4W), one of five National Women’s Alliances funded through the Federal Government, partnered with JERA (Justice Equality Rights Access ) International to put the spotlight on this critically important topic. According to Ms Roselynne Anderson, Chair of eS4W, “As a society, Australia has a social and moral obligation to all our citizens, including the Care Economy; that is, those who receive and those who deliver care, in all its forms and stages, from birth to death.”

Invited guests and participants included an international delegation from Sri Lanka, representatives of the academic, government, non-government, not for profit and community sectors – all of whom were unanimous in their agreement. Australia MUST have a professional debate on the themes and priorities identified at the forum, particularly in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. “A life course approach to care is essential; ensuring work and employability, and creating fair and equal access to skills development and lifelong opportunities”, concluded Ms Anderson.

eS4W will be actively engaging with the wider Care community to ensure increased awareness and understanding, by both the public and the media, of the priorities, problems and in many cases devastating issues faced by many in the sector. This will result in greater consensus on how to effectively address the Care Economy and related matters.

eS4W believes that a collective effort towards a coordinated solution for the Care Economy is the best way forward for Australia to meet its human rights obligations for all Australians.

Media contact: Roselynne Anderson, eS4W Chair, M: 0418 715 359 chair@security4women.org.au

The WGEA has released their report The Gender Equity Insights 2017: Inside Australia’s Gender Pay Gap, which indicates a measurable link between a gender- balanced leadership team and reduced gender pay gaps. The report can be accessed at https://www.wgea.gov.au/sites/default/files/BCEC_WGEA_Gender_Pay_Equity_Insights_2016_Report.pdf

There is an excellent summary of the report's findings accessible at Women's Agenda 

https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/top-tier-female-managers-earn-93000-less-than-their-male-peers/

From Susan Jones, BPW Asia-Pacific Regional Coordinator

I have just received wonderful news from BPW Nepal President, Ambica Shrestha in relation to the work undertaken as a result of donations received from BPW Sisters worldwide.

42 houses have been completed from the donations received and President Ambica will arrange to hand them over to the people of Nepal in March.  Dates are approximately 1st to 4th March. I understand from speaking to Ambica that one of the houses has been specially built to accommodate a blind married couple who lost their home during the earthquake.  The members of BPW Nepal have worked tirelessly to make this a reality and many of you would have followed their efforts on social media.

The invitation to join BPW Nepal on this wonderful occasion is open to all.  If you require any further information please contact Ambica - copied here. This is such a wonderful start to our BPW year and we thank you all again for your generosity. Your donation has been truly life changing. Please pass on the news to your BPW sisters.

Warmest Regards

Susan

S: susanmjones

E: susan.jones@bpw-international.org

2 DAYS.

100 SPEAKERS.

1 MESSAGE.

Breakthrough is a new gender equality event in Melbourne bringing big ideas, leading thinkers and passionate change-makers to the fore.

Breakthrough is proudly presented by the Victorian Women's Trust

Congratulations go to Michael Gunner, Northern Territory's new Chief Minister, for appointing the first female majority Cabinet in Australia, with five of the eight ministerial roles going to women. 

The new Cabinet was sworn in yesterday. New Treasurer, Nicole Manison, was also sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister. Natasha Fyles as Attorney-General will also take on the roles of Minister for Justice and Minister for Health. Dale Wakefield, following her historic win in Alice Springs, will be in Cabinet as Families Minister. Lauren Moss will take up the critical environment portfolio, amongst other responsibilities, and Eva Lawler the education portfolio.

In addition, Independent Member, Kezia Purick, will remain as Speaker of the House, which assures a well ordered Parliament.

Yesterday Mr Gunner refuted John Howard's recent comments at the National Press Club - that there could never be an equal number of men and women in politics - as simply wrong. 

"It's 2016 and let's celebrate we have a lot of women in parliament," Mr Gunner said. "We have a very strong female team and there should always be strong female voices in our parliament."

BPW is Addressing the Australian Gender Pay Gap

and encourages all the CEOs and Company Directors
to start taking one step in the right direction this year! 

Download now our free eBook full of strategies,
case studies and actions that you can take right away. 

Government of WA, Department of Communities Grants for Women

BPW WA Division was a successful grant recipient to conduct a 'Women’s Leadership Weekend'. The project will include a residential weekend with seminars on a range of leadership and economic independence topics with mentoring opportunities. Day attendance will also be encouraged. Personal and professional skill building will be available including negotiation, career planning, financial management, self-confidence and stress control.

Congratulations to WA President Kate Waters

Belmont Business Enterprise Centre was also a successful recipient with grant funds to conduct the ‘BPW Business Incubator ONLINE Retirement Income Planning for Women’ project to educate women in home-based, micro-businesses on their options for superannuation and retirement. The project will take the form of 8 webinars, 4 forums and mentoring to over 40 participants. Discussions will explore options for women who intend to start a business, options for existing self-employed women, for women who intend to start home-based businesses, micro and small businesses, Indigenous, CaLD individuals, as well as rural and regionally located participants. The project will be addressing both the criteria of community benefit, and the priority of women’s economic independence.

Congratulations to BPW Belmont member, Carol Hanlon