Although there has been significant progress towards gender equality, women continue to experience barriers and inequalities in the home, workplace and the community. For example:
- Women experience family and domestic violence, as well as sexual violence and assault, at significantly higher rates than men.
- There is a gap of 21.4 per cent between the average full-time weekly earnings of Western Australian men and women, compared to the national average of 13.0 per cent.
- Women perform more unpaid domestic and caring duties than men, even when they work full-time.
- Women’s career progression to leadership roles can be adversely affected by workplace practices and attitudes that are biased towards traditional gender roles in families where one parent, usually the mother, provides primary care to children.
Communities partners with Government, business, industry and community sector organisations to deliver initiatives and programs that contribute to achieving gender equality in Western Australia.
Our work is underpinned by Stronger Together: WA’s Plan for Gender Equality, which provides a framework with practical steps for a whole-of-community approach to advancing gender equality over the next 10-years.
Other initiatives
Communities supports a range of initiatives that seek to improve social and economic outcomes for women across the State, including:
- Gender equality in procurement pilot
- International Women's Day
- Implementing Respect@Work: WA State Government Progress Report 2022
- Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety (MARS) Program
- Implementing Enough is Enough Recommendations: WA State Government Progress Report 2022
- Supporting development of the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Strategy
- The WA Women's Hall of Fame
Announcements
Expanded grants program supports stronger future for women
Department of Communities Women’s Grants for a Stronger Future Program is now open, with a record $1.085 million in funding available. The Grants support the development of a variety of projects that advance gender equality, to build a better, fairer and more equitable community.
Building gender equality on WA State Government construction projects
Department of Communities welcomes an expansion of its Gender Equality in Procurement Pilot that was introduced by the State Government in July 2022.
Record funding marks International Women's Day 2024
The WA Government has delivered a record amount of funding for projects promoting gender equality in Western Australia. A wide range of initiatives which support and empower WA women and girls from all walks of life will share more than $530,000 in funding.
