International Women's Day 2023: DigitALL

Today is International Women's Day - a day to celebrate women's achievements and acknowledge the issues that still exist for women. This year's theme is DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality.

Here in Australia, there is still a 14.1% pay gap between men and women, a gap which has actually widened over the past year.

But we didn't hear much about Equal Pay Day last year, did you? It recognises that a women’s full potential is not being fully realised or valued and the daily barriers they face in the workplace.

Some facts about the pay gap:

➤ Equal pay - men and women receiving the same pay for equal work - has been a legal requirement in Australia for over 50 years. But the pay gap - the average earnings of women and men in the workforce - still exists.

➤ Last year, the difference was 14.1% for full-time weekly earnings or 31.3% if you include overtime and part-time workers. [wgea.gov.au]

➤ In Australia, the gender pay gap is growing not shrinking and it starts as soon as graduates enter the workforce - despite women making up more (60%) of higher education students and even in sectors that are largely female.

➤ Currently, Australian women need to work an extra year for every six that men work to earn the same amount.

➤ This affects women's lifetime economic security and later results in a major difference in super balances.

➤ For women of color, living with disabilities, or who are LGBTQIA+, this difference is compounded.

If you work for a company of more than 100 employees, you can check your organisation's gender equality data here.