Achieving gender equality and diversity in governance is essential to enable women to reach their full potential in the workforce. Women in Australia make up approximately 50.7% of the total population, and while they comprise nearly half of all employees, challenges relating to technology and innovation continue to affect them in their careers, education, and governance. To overcome these challenges, technology must be used to bring about change, and people must advocate for a more gender-equal society. The Philippines aims to improve its trade and economic interests with Australia and enable small, medium, and micro-enterprises to reach wider communities and markets through digital transformation. Achieving diversity and equality in governance also involves implementing diversity policies, such as the ASX Corporate Governance Council’s policy, which has contributed to the increase of women on ASX 200 boards.
The Push for Equal Opportunities in Science and Technology for Filipino Women
In celebration of International Women’s Day, Adhika, Inc. hosted a digital event with the theme ‘DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality’ in Sydney, Australia. The event focused on the challenges women and girls face in technology and innovation.
Online harassment and violence are some of the challenges women and girls face when it comes to technology-related careers. According to Ambassador De La Vega, this not only limits their digital empowerment but also the transformative power of technology as a whole. It forces them to self-censor their use of digital platforms, which hinders their ability to engage and participate virtually. Therefore, to create a more sustainable and equitable future for all, technology must be used to bring about change, and people must advocate for a more gender-equal society.
The Philippines Special Trade Representative to Australia, Alma Argayoso, emphasized the need for the Philippines to improve its trade and economic interests with Australia. She believes it is essential to do so in the current post-pandemic business environment to overcome the challenges faced by both men and women.
According to data, the number of women on the boards of ASX-listed companies grew from 8.3% in 2009 to 26.2% in 2017. Despite this, Australia only ranked 35th on the global index measuring gender equality.
It is important to note that challenges related to technology and innovation continue to affect women and girls in their careers, education, and governance. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize the need for equal opportunities in science and technology for women globally, especially in the Philippines.
Women in Governance: Achieving Diversity and Equality in Australia
Australia has made significant strides in achieving gender equality in governance, with 50.7% of the population being women and girls. Women also comprise approximately 47% of all employees in the country. According to AICD, 41.8% of new appointments to ASX 200 boards are women, with no boards in the ASX 200 without women. This development is in part due to a diversity policy implemented by the ASX Corporate Governance Council in 2010.
Dr. Zeny Andrews OAM, an architectural historian, award-winning author, and biographer, believes that women have the capacity and ability to be leaders in whatever industry they choose. She received the Order of Australia Medal for community service and heritage preservation, and as a former chair of UN Women Australia NSW Chapter, she has served in various leadership roles in Australia. Dr. Andrews moved to Australia from the Philippines when she was 24 and has been living in the country for the past 48 years.
Achieving diversity and equality in governance is essential, and it also fits with the Philippines’ goal of upskilling, upscaling, and upgrading the capacity of the country’s small, medium, and micro-enterprises through digital transformation to enable them to reach wider communities and markets.
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