The Department of Premier and Cabinet’s Women NSW unit has launched a whole-of-Government strategy to improve the economic, social, physical and mental wellbeing of women and girls.
Launching its NSW Women’s Strategy 2023-2026, Women NSW said the Strategy built on the progress achieved over the past four years through its NSW Women’s Strategy 2018-2022.
“[The Strategy] identifies priorities for women across NSW, and the response represents a huge effort across NSW Government Agencies,” Women NSW said.
“The Strategy recognises the important work happening and establishes a whole-of-Government approach to improving outcomes for women and girls in NSW,” it said.
“Alongside the NSW Government’s existing reform priorities, the NSW Women’s Strategy 2023–2026 will embed a commitment to pursuing gender equality, recognising the importance of challenging gendered norms, roles and expectations that may limit women’s opportunities.”
Women NSW said the Strategy focused on three key pillars for action that women from across the State consistently said were important to them, the first of which was economic opportunity and advancement.
It said the first pillar aimed to shape workplaces that made it safer and easier for women to be heard, to progress in their career and to advance their economic opportunities.
“It also aims to increase pathways into work, foster ambition in young women and boost career choice and earning potential,” it said.
“Importantly, it aims to share parenting responsibilities more equitably between men and women by positioning childcare as a parenting issue, supporting additional childcare places and encouraging men to play a greater role in parenting and the early development of their children.”
Women NSW said the Strategy’s second pillar was: Health and wellbeing, including for themes, safe relationships and safe communities; Understanding and awareness of women’s and girls’ health needs; Services and support for women’s and girls’ physical and mental health; and Secure housing, preventing homelessness
It said the third pillar was participation and empowerment and looked to challenge gendered norms, roles and expectations to drive changes to discriminatory attitudes and beliefs.
“From leadership in formal decision-making to leadership in the community, more women are being seen and heard,” Women NSW said.
“Focus communities are grounded in the strengths that their diverse backgrounds, life stages and cultures offer, yet barriers remain to achieving equality for all women and girls,” it said.
“Women have been affected by COVID-19 and other environmental shocks and are still working hard at keeping families and communities together.”
The NSW Women’s 13-section Strategy can be accessed at this PS News link.
