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The joint standing committee on foreign affairs, defence and trade is launching a new inquiry examining the role of gender equality in ensuring national and economic security.
A new inquiry into gender equality as a national and economic security imperative has been adopted by the joint standing committee on foreign affairs, defence and trade (JSCFADT).
Aiming to address and improve Australia’s economic and national security through recognising how the integration of gender equality across national strategies will support this goal, chair of the JSCFADT, Shayne Neumann, said the inquiry will spark conversation about the role of gender for Australia’s defence and security.
“We’ve talked about how important it is for productivity, but this inquiry is a great opportunity to have a broader conversation about the role it plays in Australia’s economic and national security, and international security as a whole.”
“Gender equality is important on so many fronts,” he added.
The primary themes and goals that the inquiry aims to address include gathering evidence to highlight the link between gender equality and economic growth, the security implications of undermining gender equality, and analysing the government's efforts to advance the human rights of women and girls across foreign policy, defence and national security.
The inquiry will be conducted by the human rights subcommittee in order to effectively examine how Australia can better support the international community’s efforts to advance gender equality as a means of uplifting national defence, security and economics.
“We know that when a crisis happens, whether conflict or climate disaster, women and girls are disproportionately impacted and gender equality suffers,” said Tony Zappia, chair of the human rights subcommittee.
The inquiry also aims to explore how Australia can contribute to the principles of the women, peace, and security agenda that was adopted by the United Nations in 2000. The agenda has four main pillars that aim to address the impact that global and national conflicts have on women and girls and recognise the role that women play in defence and peacebuilding efforts: participation, protection, prevention and relief and recovery.
“The Committee hopes to explore how Australia can better contribute to efforts by the international community in advancing and implementing this agenda,” said Zappia.
