Sex Discrimination Commission, Elizabeth Broderick, is celebrating the crucial role of the Commonwealth Sex Discrimination Act, which turned 25 on Saturday. However, she said the Act is now in need of serious reform if it is to contribute to gender equality in the future.

 “Passing the Sex Discrimination Act in 1984 made it clear that, to live and work in an environment free of sex discrimination and sexual harassment is a human right - not a privilege,” Commissioner Broderick said, “but 25^th birthdays are about looking to the possibilities and challenges of the future as well as looking back.”

 Ms Broderick urged the Australian Government to progress the Senate’s recommendations for amendment of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 in eliminating discrimination and promoting gender equality.

 “Enacting these recommendations will modernise the Sex Discrimination Act so that it can respond to the reality of discrimination and better promote gender equality in contemporary Australia,” Commissioner Broderick said.

 Gender inequality is still an everyday reality for many men and women. Last year, the Australian Human Rights Commission received 438 complaints under the Sex Discrimination Act. Women still experience sex discrimination at many points in their life-cycle:

§ At home, one in three Australian women is affected by domestic and family violence; women undertake two thirds of the unpaid caring and domestic work in Australian households and women spend almost three times as many hours per week looking after children as men.

§ At work, 22 percent of women and five percent of men have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace and women currently earn 84.3 cents in the male dollar (full time adult ordinary time earnings).

§ When it comes to retiring, half of all women aged between 45 and 59 have a mere $8 000 or less in superannuation.
 “As the mother of a young daughter and son, I want both of them to grow up thinking that nothing will stand in their way,” Commissioner Broderick said. “I hope that when I get to celebrate my children’s 25^th birthdays, I will look forward to the opportunities ahead of them and find that none of them will be based on their gender.
 “A strong and evolving Sex Discrimination Act is integral to achieving a fairer and more equal Australia for all our kids.”

 To mark the 25^th anniversary, the Australian Human Rights Commission is launching a commemorative website. The website provides a historical overview of the Sex Discrimination Act and gives women and men the opportunity to tell their stories of gender equality. See www.humanrights.gov.au/sex_discrimination/sda_25

Tags: discrimination, equality, gender, sexuality