State strategy for gender equality gives bosses tools to wipe out sexism at work
Challenging “male superiority” while eliminating sexist jokes, comments and discriminatory leadership are part of a new state government push — and bosses will be on the hook for making it work.
VIC News
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Bosses will be held accountable for the eradication of sexism through gender quotas and challenging stereotypes that support “male superiority” under a new state government workplace program.
Sexist jokes and images, disrespectful comments about women, and discriminatory leadership styles will be identified and eradicated in workplaces under the Our Watch Workplace Equality and Respect program.
The strategy gives Victorian workplace leaders tools to foster a culture that reduces violence by rejecting sexist and biased attitudes.
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It includes training that challenges masculine styles of leadership and decision-making.
It will be rolled out through the public sector in coming months, and will be available to private businesses through an online portal.
Initiatives include:
SPECIFIC strategies to recruit, train, mentor and retain women in senior positions;
FLEXIBLE work options and parental leave for women and men;
STAFF training on how to reduce sexism in daily life.
Our Watch chief executive Patty Kinnersly said the initiative reflected the way workplaces had “significant influence over our professional and personal lives, and over our society more broadly”.
“Workplaces have the opportunity to take an active role in addressing gender inequality,” she said.
“Workplaces can do this by rejecting sexism and discriminatory attitudes, confronting organisational practices that devalue, exclude or marginalise women, and supporting an increase in the number of female leaders.”
Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Gabrielle Williams said workplaces were the ideal places to address gender inequality given that Victorians spent almost a third of their lives at work.
“Tackling gender inequality and sex discrimination in the workplace is vital — women deserve to feel safe, valued and respected at work,” she said.
The program comes as Australian employers lose $1.3 billion annually as a result of violence against women.
Studies also show sexual harassment at work continues to be an issue, affecting one in five people aged 15 or over.
Four out of five harassers are men, and one in five women has experienced sexual violence, compared to one in 20 Australian men, ABS figures show.