THE Queensland Government has released its 2024 Annual Queensland Women’s Statement (AQWS) alongside the 2023 Gender Equality Report Cards (GERC) during Queensland Women’s Week.
The second AQWS demonstrates the Miles Labor Government’s ongoing commitment to gender equality, by highlighting the achievements across government in implementing the 47 commitments under the Queensland Women’s Strategy 2022-2027 during 2023.
The Statement also outlines the next steps for progressing gender equality and improving outcomes for women and girls in 2024.
Progress includes increased women in the STEM and construction industries and gender pay, workforce participations, and superannuation gaps getting smaller.
Minister for Health and Minister for Women Shannon Fentiman said that the government is committed to investing in a safer and more prosperous future for women and girls.
“But let’s be clear – there is still a lot to be done,” she said.
“That’s why we’re strengthening our laws to better protect women and hold perpetrators to account.
“We are investing in programs that empower and support women to upskill, reskill, and take up leadership roles.
“Inequality persists, but we are making ground on closing the economic gaps between men and women.”
The employment participation gap between women with disability and without is also gradually closing, with GERC reporting a 3.2 per cent drop from 18 per cent in 2016 to 14.9 per cent in 2021.
Despite these gains, women are significantly more likely to do unpaid work, and more likely to be subjected to violence including sexual assault and elder abuse.
They also continue to earn and retire with less money, with more than 30 per cent of women relying on their partner’s income in retirement compared with six per cent men.
These findings illuminate areas of both progress and persistent challenges for Queensland women in the workforce.
The State Government will continue to implement initiatives to address these safety concerns and deliver the commitments under the Queensland Women’s Strategy 2022-27.
The 2024 Annual Queensland Women’s Statement and 2023 Gender Equality Report Cards are available online. More information on the Office for Women website.
Keep up with the latest news in Cairns and the Far North, and check out some of our top stories this week: Aviation trailblazer named Woman of the Year and Progress towards closing the gap.
