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Isabella Repole
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Tutorial class: Monday 10:30 am
Word Count: 1180

Economics Report: Gender Equality

INTRODUCTION …………………………………. 2

CONTEXT ……………………………………...….. 2

WOMEN IN THE DOMESTIC SPHERE ………….. 2

GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND POVERTY … 3

WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN THE

WORKFORCE ……………………………………… 4

CONCLUSION ……………………………………… 5

REFERENCES ………………………………………. 6-7

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Introduction
The World Bank outlines a list of 17 sustainable development goals that aim to achieve a world free of poverty
on a planet that is both liveable and equitable. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 highlights the
importance of gender equality and outlines the challenges associated with eradicating gender-based
discrimination and violence. Gender equality is defined as "the equal valuing by society of the similarities and
the differences of men and women" (UNICEF, 2017), and through the introduction of national/global policy,
there have been great strides in the promotion of women's wellbeing. However, a great deal remains to be done
to achieve the total eradication of gender-based discrimination.

Context
SDG 5 outlines a list of main objectives in achieving gender equality including, an end to discrimination
against women globally, the elimination of all forms of gender-based violence, equity in financial opportunities,
and proper legal frameworks protecting the rights of women. A plethora of programs have been developed to
address these issues currently with the goal of creating real change by 2030-2060. Campaigns such as the
HeForShe campaign run by UN Women aim to encourage the participation of women in leadership positions
both politically and in the workplace by 2030, and initiatives such as the UNFPA/UNICEF campaign to end
domestic violence and the Spotlight initiative aim to eradicate all forms of gender-based violence by 2030.

Women in the domestic sphere

The 'Workplace Gender Equality Act' was a piece of Equal pay legislation introduced to the Fair Work
Commission in Australia in 2012. Under this legislation, the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) was
established as a regulatory body ensuring gender equality in the workplace. The bill forced employers to collect,
store, and report data on key gender equality indicators, including gender composition and pay gaps. Paying
women lower wages for the same job is technically illegal in Australia. However, women still make $0.77 for
every $1.00 a man makes due to a series of social, cultural, and economic reasons. Women take on a majority of
the unpaid labour in the home and take on most of the loss of income that occurs in the years after a baby is
born.
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Women fall an average of 55% behind men in earnings in the first
five years after a baby is born (See Figure 1 to the right) due to
the expectation of the mother to take on the unpaid care
responsibilities for the baby on her own following the birth. This
trend continues after those first five years as mothers are more
willing to take time off to care for a sick child, be childcare
educators, and become a stay-at-home parent if the situation calls
for someone to be present at home (Northcott, 1983, p. 393).
This reliance on archaic gender roles forces women to often
sacrifice progression in their careers for the sake of their families.
It costs the average woman a large percentage of her potential earning capability as she stays away from the
workforce.

To address the increasing wage gap in Iceland, the government proposed the “Equal Pay for Equal Work”
certification program, which requires companies with more than 25 employees to undergo regular audits of their
pay practices to ensure wage parity. The companies that achieved the certification were publicly listed, which
incentivised other companies to follow suit. Domestically, the government has been working to incentivise
husbands to take on some of the work leave responsibility that comes with a newborn baby. Through the Paid
Parental Leave scheme, the parents of any babies born or adopted after July 1st 2025, will receive a 12 per cent
addition to their regular superannuation contribution, and until 2026 2, weeks of paid leave will be added each
year for both parents of a newborn child encouraging husbands to take on a more significant per cent of the
parenting responsibilities.

Gender-based violence and poverty

There is also a significant economic factor in the rate of sexual violence. Women who have experienced sexual
violence between the ages of 24 and 30 are 63% less likely to have completed year twelve and 7% less likely to
find full-time employment (AIHW 2024). Over all ages, “women were 30–45% more likely to experience high
financial stress if they had experienced sexual violence” (Townsend et al., 2022). In order to address the
increased domestic violence caseload in rural and lower-income areas, the Legal Aid NSW Domestic Violence
Unit provides free legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, including assisting with obtaining protection
orders, and child custody arrangements.
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Figures two and three outline the overlap in unemployment
and domestic violence in the greater Sydney area; there is a
significant trend in “Campbelltown, Liverpool,
Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield, Penrith, Cumberland,
Blacktown and Hawkesbury” (Saxby et al., 2024),
highlighting the significance of economic instability as a
catalyst for gender-based violence.

The Housing First program in Canada aims to address

similar trends that are occurring globally; they provide
housing subsidies and support services to homeless individuals, including those who have been victims of
domestic violence. Through the provision of housing, the program aims to assist survivors in rebuilding their
lives and reducing their risk of experiencing further domestic violence. The program costs the Canadian
government $20,000 2016 CAD per participant each year, a minimal cost compared to the $312.5 Billion of
government expenditure incurred that year.This program can be the difference between life and death for
victims, and programs like these are integral to the dissolution of these cycles of violence and poverty.

Women’s participation in the workforce

Misogyny from higher-ups and the prevention of women
receiving an education impede women's ability to gain
fruitful employment and participate fully in society.
Figures 4 and 5 demonstrate the education gap in major
employment fields in Afghanistan. Women were
completely unrepresented in multiple fields, and in the
most lucrative industries, women made up less than 50 per
cent of people educated in that area. The lack of a stable
and reliable income places women in a vulnerable position as they may be unable to leave vulnerable and
possibly dangerous situations due to the fear of homelessness and poverty. In order to address this issue
globally, there have been many programs that have and continue to assist in ensuring a woman's right to work.
The World Bank's Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) provides financial and technical support to
women-owned businesses in developing countries. Through the provision of grants, loans, and
capacity-building programs, We-Fi addresses the financing gap and other barriers women entrepreneurs face.
For unemployed women, the Women's Economic Empowerment Program in Kerala, India, provides training
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and support for women from low-income backgrounds to start their own businesses or gain employment. By
increasing women's economic independence, the program aims to reduce their vulnerability to domestic
violence and homelessness.

Conclusion
Women face many hurdles in the achievement of gender equality globally, from domestic violence to
disproportionate domestic responsibilities and barriers to entry within the workforce. Through the application of
economic policy, legislative changes, training programs, and private enterprise campaigns, many steps have
been taken towards the elimination of gender-based discrimination globally.
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Northcott, H.C. (1983), 'Who stays home? Working parents and sick children', International Journal of Women's
Studies, Vol.6(5), pp.387-394.

Townsend N, Loxton D, Egan N, Barnes I, Byrnes E, and Forder P (2022) ‘A life course approach to
determining the prevalence and impact of sexual violence in Australia: Findings from the Australian
Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health- external site opens in new window’ Research report, 14/2022.
ANROWS

Australian Government Department of social services, (2024, April 2). Paid Parental Leave Scheme. Retrieved
May 1, 2023, from
<https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/families-and-children/programs-services/paid-parental-leave-sche
me#>

Saxby, K., Johnston, D., & Knott, R. (2024, May 1). Our research shows a strong link between unemployment
and domestic violence: what does this mean for income support?. The Conversation. Retrieved May 1, 2024,
from
<https://theconversation.com/our-research-shows-a-strong-link-between-unemployment-and-domestic-violence
-what-does-this-mean-for-income-support-228409#:~:text=Economic%20downturns%20and%20personal%20fi
nancial,highest%20levels%20of%20domestic%20violence.>

The World Bank, (2024, May 1). Financial Intermediary Funds (FIFs). Retrieved May 1, 2024, from
<https://fiftrustee.worldbank.org/en/about/unit/dfi/fiftrustee/fund-detail/wefi>

Government of Canada, (2022, July 20). Funding streams under Reaching Home, Retrieved April 28, 2024,
from
<https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/homelessness-sans-abri/funding-financement/streams-volets-eng.html>

Government of Canada, (2023, December 21). About Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy.
Retrieved April 28, 2024, from <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/homelessness-sans-abri/index-eng.html>

Nelson, G., & Aubry, T., (2021, September 27). Fact Sheet on Homelessness and Housing First. EEnet.
Retrieved April 25, 2024, from <https://kmb.camh.ca/uploads/c3128830-80c1-4021-b85a-017cea1d3e1e>
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Spotlight Initiative., (2024). A brighter future. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from
<https://www.spotlightinitiative.org/>

Anti-Poverty Week., (2021, September 3). New evidence shows stark link between financial hardship and
violence for women – prompts calls for increased payments. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from
<https://antipovertyweek.org.au/2021/09/new-evidence-shows-stark-link-between-financial-hardship-and-viole
nce-for-women-prompts-calls-for-increased-payments/>

Ferrant, G., Pesando, L. M., and Nowacka, K., (2014, December). Unpaid Care Work: The missing link in the
analysis of gender gaps in labour outcomes. OECD Development Centre. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from
<https://www.oecd.org/dev/development-gender/Unpaid_care_work.pdf>

Department of families housing Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, (2012). Workplace Gender
Equality Act 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2024, from
<https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/11_2012/factsheet_amended_201112.pdf>

The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, (2023), Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Closing
the Gender Pay Gap) Bill 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024, from
<https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/legislation/bills/s1363_first-senate/toc_pdf/2300120.pdf;fileTyp
e=application%2Fpdf>

UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia, (2017, November), Glossary of Terms and Concepts. UNICEF.
Retrieved April 20, 2024, from
<https://www.unicef.org/rosa/media/1761/file/Genderglossarytermsandconcepts.pdf>

United Nations, (No Date), Gender Equality. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from
<https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/gender-equality>

Wadhwa, D., Fruttero, A., (2023), Realizing gender equality: A greater challenge with climate change.The
World Bank. Retrieved April 15, 2024, from
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