Page 783 - Week 02 - Thursday, 10 March 2011
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as a key issue that needs to be taken up. Certainly the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, at the breakfast that was held in Canberra on Tuesday morning, raised this issue that violence against women in the ACT, in Australia, across the world is still an issue that we really need to tackle, particularly when you see statistics such as 40 per cent of women have experienced violence since the age of 15.
So where to from here? Perhaps the answer is in the Amnesty International motto of vigilance. I hope it does not need to be eternal vigilance, however. Importantly, the United Nations has recently recognised the need for a front-line women’s program. In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. UN Women is headed by former Chilean President, Michelle Bachelet. And I do hope to see an acceleration of equality and empowerment programs that are driven by UN Women, especially for disadvantaged women, those who have no voice, particularly many of those women who really are struggling in developing countries.
Clearly men play a role in cultural change, and I am happy to report that a number of male ACT MLAs are ambassadors for the White Ribbon Alliance. I know that Mr Rattenbury spoke at the white ribbon launch this year and gave a very important, moving and passionate speech about the need for men to be part of the solution in combating violence against women. Of course this is the only national violence campaign against women, and really we all need to ensure that all of us play a role in reducing violence against women.
Improving the lives of women and girls globally is a mammoth task. It involves untangling entrenched cultural and political belief structures and in many cases involves someone relinquishing power. This is why, no doubt, structural change is so difficult. We need to remember that millions of women world wide have no access to democratic decision making or policy change.
How do women fare? In Australia significant advances have been made. Pay equity, violence and equal representation are still issues where improvements could be made. Across the globe, too many women still suffer, as do many children. Poverty, war and interpersonal violence are tragically the mainstay for millions globally.
When we think of the countless examples of needless suffering, some wonder what we can actually do, and others say it is too hard. I am humbled and inspired by women who take the step to positive change in their communities, some in the face of enormous danger and even risk of death. Unlike us, all these women have is the courage to stand up and make change themselves. Today I recognise and honour women world wide that are standing up, that are finding their voices, or even thinking about how they can improve their communities.
MS BURCH (Brindabella—Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services, Minister for Children and Young People, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Women) (4.21): I thank Ms Hunter for raising this matter of public importance. International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the economic, the political and the social achievements of women past, present and into the future. It has been observed since the early 1900s, a time of great
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