Forty-five years to the day after women first marched on International Women's Day in Wollongong to demand better pay conditions, the equal economic participation of women is yet to be achieved.
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Friday, March 8 marks IWD and the theme this year is 'Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress' - a call to spend more on women to advance equality and economic empowerment.
Women Illawarra general manager Michelle Glasgow said economic equality was symbolic of the position and regard in which women were held in their communities.
It also gave women access to opportunities "to develop, to learn, to contribute and give back to their communities".
"If you're in poverty, it limits your opportunities because you're trying to survive, and you're not able to thrive," Ms Glasgow said.
Last month the release of employer data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) showed a 19 per cent gap between men and women in median remuneration nationally.
Ali Anderson, general manager of the Illawarra Women's Health Centre (IWHC) said large corporations such as athletic wear company Lorna Jane attributed this to the flexibility it offered to female employees.
But she said the IWHC was able to employ women in professional, specialised roles while being flexible, too.
"My question around it is always, 'Well, why do you have to have full-time men in these office-based positions?'" Ms Anderson said.
Ms Glasgow said employers could take steps to ensure women - who still performed the majority of unpaid care outside the workplace - had more opportunities to advance economically, including more flexibility in the workplace, paid maternity leave, and investing in developing female leaders.
"Employers need to be mindful that women experience barriers to advancement or barriers to opportunities to earn the same as men," she said.
Ms Anderson said this year's IWD theme intersected with the work of the women's health centre in relation to financial coercive control, a form of domestic abuse and one that the centre often encounters.
"One of the many reasons why women don't leave abusive relationships is because they simply don't have the funds and that's wielded over them," she said.
The cost of healthcare, and subsequently women's access to it, is another element, especially in regional areas and particularly certain kinds, such as mental healthcare and gynaecological and reproductive support.
"So women that are on a much lower salary, the data shows us that they have poorer health outcomes," Ms Anderson said.
She said there needed to be more federal and state government investment in health services specifically for women.
The IWHC just lodged a pre-budget submission to the NSW government for a second site in the northern Illawarra, Ms Anderson said, and she would like to see improved access to reproductive healthcare, especially abortion.
She said education for women was another "pivotal part of the piece".
Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
