Despite profound success this year for all things women and girls, sobering statistics from Plan International’s Gender Compass reaffirm the 131-year long wait to reach gender equality.
On Wednesday October 11, International Day of the Girl Child, the Australian NGO released results from a survey of 2500 Australians, assessing respondents’ beliefs, policy preferences and behaviours in relation to gender equality.
The results showed more than one in five (22 per cent) Australian parents admit they do not treat their daughters equally to their sons.
More than a third (37 per cent) do not believe there is a gender pay gap in Australia, a reality that means women, on average, earn $25,596 less in their annual salary than their male counterparts.
Only 60 per cent of Australians believe women’s sports is of equal standing to men’s sports, in spite of the Matildas’ game-changing success in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the growth of the AFLW and more.
Matildas’ striker Emily Gielnik said turning a blind eye to these staggering figures is unfeasible.
“The next five generations of girls will never see true equality in their lifetimes, and this is unacceptable,” she said.
The UN predicts gender equality will not be reached for another 131 years, the equivalent of Gielnik playing 765,564 90-minute games of soccer consecutively.
“Watching all of Australia get behind the Matildas for the Women’s World Cup was such a massive high for all of us players – seeing girls and boys cheer us on and believe that they too, could be what they were seeing, was so meaningful,” she said.
“Just as importantly the discussions on equality that we helped ignite – the gender pay gap in society, and funding for women’s sports.
“Today, and every day, I am standing with girls because we need to continue utilising this momentum. We cannot afford to be complacent. It is time to act, now.”
“We cannot afford to look the other way. The next five generations of girls will never see true equality in their lifetimes and this is unacceptable.” says @TheMatildas striker Emily Gielnik who joins us this #DayOfTheGirl to #BeatTheClock. https://t.co/pDOWt1iaLh
— Plan International Australia (@PlanAustralia) October 10, 2023
‘Change has not been equitable’
Akec Makur Chuot, AFLW player for Hawthorn, was born in South Sudan, a country where girls are more likely to die in childbirth than finish high school.
Now, a professional football player, CMakur huot is using her platform to encourage young girls to follow their dreams and to defy the statistics revealed in Plan International’s Gender Compass.
“Playing professional AFL football has changed my life… and I want to give all girls – especially those from diverse backgrounds – the self-belief that they too can follow their dreams,” she said.
“I also want to use my platform to highlight the plight of girls in some of the most vulnerable communities around the world.
“A girl in my country of birth, South Sudan, is still more likely to die in childbirth than to complete secondary education.
“That is outrageous – and underscores the urgency in increased attention, resourcing and funding that enables girls everywhere to realise their rights and achieve their potential.”
CEO of Plan International Australia Susanne Legena said although progress has been made in this country, there are still several challenges around the world that must be addressed – today, on International Day of the Girl Child, and every day.
“In Afghanistan, young women can’t attend school or university; in the US access to abortion has been curtailed; and just over a year ago Mahsa Amini was murdered in Iran for not ‘covering her hair properly’ and wearing ‘tight jeans’,” Legena said.
“We celebrate all girls today but know this year’s International Day of the Girl serves as a powerful reminder that change has not been equitable.
“It has been slow, it has been contested at every turn and continues to be, and many girls, especially those who face intersecting risks, are looking to remain that way for the rest of my life and theirs, and even their own children’s.
“How can we stand by and watch this happen?”