By Julie McKay, Executive Director, UN Women Australia
International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 each year and is a great opportunity for us to celebrate the many wonderful, inspirational women in our lives. However, it is also a time to think about those women that are struggling just to survive each day across the world.
Across the globe, 70 per cent of the world’s poor are women. Women earn less than 10 per cent of the world’s wages—but women do more than two thirds of the world’s work. In Australia alone, closing the gap between female and male employment will boost Australia’s GDP by 11 per cent.
UN Women Australia’s theme for International Women’s Day 2012 is women’s economic empowerment. Economic empowerment recognises that increasing women’s access to quality education, meaningful employment, land and other resources contributes positively to gender inclusion, sustainable development and growth in prosperity.
This year International Women’s Day hopes to raise awareness and increase economic security for women across the Asia Pacific region by helping improve their workplace conditions. Photo: Julie McKay / UN Women Australia
International Women’s Day 2012 is about celebrating the vital role women play in enhancing economic prosperity in their families, communities and countries while
recognising that significant barriers to achieving women’s economic security and equality continue to exist.