#PRESSFORPROGRESS

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity with this year’s theme was #pressforprogress.

Over one million people worldwide celebrated the day including hundreds of events in Australia including the Minister for Women, the Hon Kelly O’Dwyer MP and Shadow Minister the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP address the National Press Club.

Minister O’Dwyer used the speech to outline the Turnbull Government’s commitment to women’s safety citing domestic violence as well as online bullying

“Since 2015 the Turnbull Government has committed over $322 million to addressing women’s safety which includes front line services such as health justice partnerships to train nurses and other health professionals to recognise the signs of domestic violence and enable free legal advice at the hospital via a duty lawyer; as well as the internationally acclaimed ‘Stop it at the Start’ campaign designed to change young people’s attitudes to women and violence,”.

In addition, the Liberal Party is working to a target to pre-select women in 50 per cent of winnable seats by 2025 and the Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP announced the establishment of an Ambassador for Women in Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM)?—?a representative who will promote national gender parity in STEM.

Shadow Minister Plibersek used her speech to launch the ALP’s draft of Labor’s national gender equality strategy which followed consultation with women from right across Australia.

If Labor forms government at the next election, we want to be ready for action from day one. Our strategy sets out five priorities for action?—?the things thousands of Australian women told us they need from us. Through our strategy we will set targets, we will report against them and we will hold ourselves accountable.