International Women's Day 2024 wrap up

Today, March 8th, marks a significant date on the global calendar - International Women's Day (IWD). It's a day dedicated to celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women worldwide, while highlighting how far we have to go. This year, the theme is centered around counting women in as set by the UN. It revolves around the central importance of women's economic empowerment in achieving gender equality. When women have equal opportunities to earn, learn, and lead, entire communities flourish.

I was fortunate to host our own event this year with amazing women who shared their stories of how they #CountHerIn. This year's campaign theme underscores the critical importance of diversity and empowerment in all spheres of society. When we #countherin, we pave the way for a more equitable world where every woman feels a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.

But what does it truly mean to count women in?

It means recognising the unique perspectives and contributions of women from all walks of life, including those from marginalised communities. The campaign emphasises that achieving gender equality requires individuals, organisations and groups to invest in women. We need to be breaking down barriers, challenging stereotypes, and creating environments where all women are valued and respected. It's a call to action to make tangible efforts towards building a more inclusive world for women.

On an individual level, #countherin is to accelerate the understandin of the value of womens work, and actively seeking out the inclusion of women and girls in all places where decisions are made. It means advocating for their rights, amplifying their voices, and supporting their endeavours. It's about fostering an environment where every woman feels seen, heard, and appreciated for who she is.

Organisations and groups are pivotal in investing in women by supporting economic empowerment, fostering diverse talent, encouraging leadership roles, designing infrastructure, ensuring healthcare access, providing education and training, promoting sports and arts participation, and addressing various areas supporting the advancement of women and girls.

Today’s event was inspiring on so many levels and a fitting theme following the recently released data around the Australian gender pay gap. For the first time ever, the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has published base salary and total remuneration median gender pay gaps for private sector employers in Australia with 100 or more employees. The publication of this information is designed to drive change in workplaces through transparency and accountability.

The first published data from February 2024 shows us:

• 30% of employers have a median gender pay gap between the target range of -5% and +5%.
• 62% of median employer gender pay gaps are over 5% and in favour of men.
• The rest (8%) are less than -5% and in favour of women.
• Across all employers, 50% have a gender pay gap of over 9.1%.

By shining a light on gender pay gaps at an employer level, the information arms individuals, and organisations with the evidence they need to take meaningful action to accelerate closing the gender pay gap in Australian workplaces. Just another way we can #CountHerIn.

As we close out International Women's Day for 2024, let us commit ourselves to carrying forward these ideals of diversity, inclusion, and empowerment throughout the year. In the journey towards gender equality, every voice matters, and every action counts. Let us invest in women in every facet of our lives, working together to build a world where every woman's potential is recognised and celebrated.