Victorian Agencies are to be supported to complete their first gender equality progress reports, with the Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Service publishing guidance material.
Launching the materials, the Commission said the Gender Equality Act 2020 requires defined entities to submit a progress report to the Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner every second year after submitting a Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP).
It said the first progress reports were due on 20 February 2024.
“The progress reporting guidelines were developed to help defined entities to meet their obligations to complete and submit a progress report,” the Commission said.
“The Commission has also developed guidance to help defined entities to assess and report on their progress in relation to the gender equality indicators,” it said.
“This is referred to as a ‘progress audit’.”
The Commission said its progress reporting guidelines would support defined entities to report on the policies, programs and services that were subject to a Gender Impact Assessment (GIA) and the outcomes of those GIAs; report on their progress in relation to the strategies and measures listed in their GEAP; and demonstrate their progress in relation to the workplace gender equality indicators.
It said a progress audit involved the collection of workforce and employee experience data in 2023, comparing this information to the workplace gender audit data collected in 2021 and providing the results to the Commissioner along with progress reports.
“If approved, the proposed Gender Equality Amendment Regulations 2023 will require a progress audit to be completed,” the Commission said.
“If the new regulations are not approved, the Commissioner still recommends the completion of a progress audit.”
The Commission’s gender equality progress reporting guidelines can be accessed at this PS News link and its progress audit guidance at this link.
