GENDER equality continues to be an issue, despite progress in some areas.
Business Professional Women Coffs Coast (BPW) says equality is not simply about legislation or the opportunities women have gained over the years.
It is also about workplace culture, fair treatment, economic security and the attitudes that shape our expectations of women and men.
“Australia is a signatory to the UN Sustainable Development Goals including SDG5 on Gender Equality and we have national legislation in place to forbid discrimination against pregnant women in the workplace,” a BPW spokesperson said.
“We have made significant progress towards gender equality, yet recent reporting reminds us that important challenges remain.”
An ABC News investigation published on 18 October highlighted the experiences of women who said they had lost jobs, had their hours reduced, or faced unfair treatment after becoming pregnant or having a child.
More than 100 women contacted the ABC’s Four Corners investigation with accounts of pregnancy-related workplace discrimination.
BPW says this raises a number of questions:
Can we truly claim gender equality when pregnancy and family responsibilities can still threaten a woman’s career and financial independence?
Have attitudes towards feminism changed across generations?
What does feminism mean to younger women today?
Are the achievements of earlier generations being protected and extended, and what barriers still need to be addressed?
These questions will be explored at BPW Coffs Coast’s upcoming panel discussion, “The Equality Conversation: Women, Feminism and What Comes Next,” under the theme “Equality in 2026: Where Are We Now?”
Anyone interested in the future of gender equality is welcome to engage in an open, thought-provoking conversation, with a range of perspectives, meaningful discussion and no expectation of a single answer.
“As an advocacy organisation, we would be pleased to hear from any woman who has experienced this discrimination so that we can identify ways to ensure our businesses fully understand their responsibilities,” the spokesperson said.
More information can be found by emailing coffsharbour@bpw.com.au or messaging us via the BPW Coffs Coast Facebook page.
By Andrew VIVIAN
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