Anne Summers puts women’s equality back on the agenda

05/12/2007

Women’s equality must be restored to the political agenda, author-journalist Dr Anne Summers will tell an audience of 400 at the 7th Human Rights Oration.

The Oration is hosted by the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) and marks International Human Rights Day.

With reference to new research commissioned by the VEOHRC, Dr Summers will reveal the “new pessimism” women feel and spell out the discrimination that women are experiencing in combining work and family.

“Women are leading increasingly complex lives, struggling to juggle work and family, and having to battle with insufficient flexibility at work and lack of support services such as childcare,” she said.

“‘Something’s gotta give’ was a common response among women who participated in the research, and most of them felt it was their careers that have to ‘give’”.

Commenting on the research that involved the participation of women from rural and metropolitan Victoria in six focus groups, VEOHRC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Helen Szoke said despite 30 years of equal opportunity laws, women were still lagging behind their male counterparts, on a spectrum on issues.

“The reality is that sexual harassment, sex discrimination and pregnancy discrimination are all in the top five reasons for a complaint to the Commission,” she said.

“The provisions of the Equal Opportunity Act are vital to women's full and equal participation in society, and are basic civil rights that should be protected.”

In returning women’s equality to the political landscape, Dr Summers will address the issues of work flexibility, pay equity, women in the higher echelons of corporate world, domestic violence and sexual assault, and the role of government in educating the public about these crimes.

“There are no quick fixes to these issues. Only with a sustained commitment to eliminating the systemic causes of these inequalities can we ensure effective and tangible steps are taken to dismantle discrimination against women,” she said.

Media contact: Ian Row, 0408 126 396 or 03 9281 7138