INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
IWD provides an important moment to showcase commitment to women’s equality, launch new initiatives and action, celebrate women’s achievements and raise awareness.
With the World Economic Forum 2017 Gender Gap Report findings telling us that gender parity is over 200 years away there has never been a more important time to keep motivated and #PressforProgress.
This has particular relevance for the social and community services sector, which is female dominated. Female dominated organisations continue to have lower average wages for both women and men when compared with male dominated industries and organisations.
This inequity flows through to our residents, with 65% of City West Housing households headed by women. Statistically low income households are more likely to be single parent or older single women households. Women bear a disproportionate share of unpaid caring and domestic work. The lack of workplace flexibility to accommodate caring and other responsibilities and women’s greater time out of the workforce impact career progression and opportunities. Part time work is dominated by women.
So while City West Housing has a focus on housing working households, we also provide crucial support to those not in work or employed in jobs that are part time, casualised and where there is a risk of ‘falling out of work’. Our rent model accommodates a change in household income and provides security of tenure for our residents but there is more we can do.
City West Housing wants to support pay parity for those who are working. Stagnant wage growth and increasing housing costs are an issue for a large part of our population and one of the reasons for the need of an affordable rental housing sector.
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