Group keeps pushing for gender equity

THE Greater Bendigo Gender Equity Coalition has been developing a five-year plan that will look into how the region can be more equitable.

Chair of the coalition Sue Clarke said a focus has been put on overseeing structural, relational and attitudinal change across a number of groups.

“The coalition decided to focus on six key areas being workplace, education, health, sport and recreation, emergency management, and the general community,” she said.

Ms Clarke said the strategy will look at organisations’ top decision making and power balance in workplaces and community groups.

“That’s been the focus and in developing the plan [the coalition has] thought of issues around gender roles and responsibilities and is considering how we as a community can work together in a much more equal way,” she said.

Established in 2018, the coalition backed last month’s March 4 Justice and advocates against violence for women.

The coalition is made up of 34 different organisations across Bendigo, each bringing a different area of knowledge to support gender equity.

“It consists of Bendigo Health, local business, library services, the Djar Djar Warrung Clan, public organisations such as councils but also not-for-profit organisations, businesses and community groups,” Ms Clarke said.

Ms Clarke has been involved in gender equity work since the 1970s, considering issues facing women such as access to childcare, violence and employment opportunities.

“It’s been one of my passions to look at how decisions are made and how people particularly women are recruited on to boards,” she said.

“Fifteen years ago, it was quite unusual to have a female board director, now there are high expectations that the community should be represented by skill set and also from a point of view of gender.”

Ms Clarke said the strategy ensures that gender equity remains in the public conversation as everybody’s business.

“For me it’s really important to listen and hear from the coalition about what’s working and what’s not and were resources might need to be refocused,” she said.

“We have to be very conscious that we don’t leave this to be just women’s business.”

“We have to keep the conversation alive to make progress.”