Progress on gender equality at work is slow and uneven, new index finds – The Conversation

Report on Gender Equality in the Australian Workplace and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Stagnant Progress on SDG 5 and SDG 8

Recent analysis indicates that progress towards gender equality in the Australian workplace has been minimal over the past decade. This stagnation presents a significant challenge to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). The unequal distribution of unpaid domestic and care work, a key target of SDG 5.4, remains a primary barrier to women’s full and equal participation in the economy. The Australian Centre for Gender Equality and Inclusion at Work has released its first Gender Equality @ Work Index, providing a comprehensive assessment of these challenges over a ten-year period.

Gender Equality @ Work Index: A Ten-Year Analysis (2014-2024)

The index reveals that overall gender equality at work improved by only three points, from a score of 80 to 83 out of 100, between 2014 and 2024. This slow pace underscores the persistent nature of workplace inequality and its conflict with national and global development targets.

Index Dimensions

The index provides a multi-faceted view of workplace equality, moving beyond standard metrics to include seven key dimensions:

• Participation in the workforce
• Pay and remuneration
• Hours dedicated to paid and unpaid work
• Security, including job and income stability
• Stratification, concerning participation in leadership and management
• Segmentation across industries and occupations
• Safety in the workplace

Detailed Findings and SDG Implications

Areas of Limited Progress

While some progress is noted, significant gaps remain in achieving full equality, impacting targets within SDG 5 and SDG 8.

1. Job Security, Participation, and Pay: Women are closest to parity in job security (94), participation (92), and pay (92). However, these scores still fall short of full equality, indicating that barriers persist in achieving SDG 8.5, which calls for full, productive employment and equal pay for work of equal value.
2. Stratification: The most significant improvement was observed in stratification, with the score rising from 77 to 86. This reflects an increase in women’s employment in senior roles, aligning with the objectives of SDG 5.5 to ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership.

Significant Barriers to Achieving SDG 5 and SDG 8

The index highlights critical areas where progress is either stalled or regressing, posing direct threats to SDG targets.

• Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (Hours Dimension): With a score of only 76, the “hours” dimension reflects the disproportionate burden of unpaid work on women. This directly contravenes SDG 5.4 (recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work) and limits women’s opportunities for paid work, career progression, and long-term economic security.
• Workplace Safety: The safety dimension is the only measure to have declined over the decade, scoring 75. Increased rates of workplace sexual harassment and psychological injury among women undermine SDG 8.8 (protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers).
• Labour Market Segmentation: With the lowest score of 67, gender segmentation is the most significant impediment to equality. The workforce is deeply divided, with over half of employees in industries dominated by a single gender. This segregation reinforces pay inequality and limits economic productivity, hindering progress towards both SDG 5 and SDG 8.

Recommendations for Accelerating Progress Towards SDGs

The index results point to two priority areas for intervention to align Australia’s labour market with the Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Addressing Labour Market Segmentation (SDG 5 & SDG 8)
   • Improve the quality, pay, and conditions of roles in female-dominated sectors such as aged care and childcare to ensure decent work for all.
   • Enhance women’s access to and experience in male-dominated sectors like construction and engineering through targeted investment and flexible work arrangements.
   • Enforce policies that deliver safe and inclusive workplaces free from harassment and discrimination, a foundational requirement for achieving SDG 5 and SDG 8.8.
2. Promoting Shared Responsibility for Unpaid Work (SDG 5.4)
   • Invest in and monitor policies, such as paid parental leave, that support and encourage men’s contribution to childcare and domestic responsibilities.
   • Address and challenge social norms that perpetuate the unequal division of unpaid care, thereby enabling women to participate in the economy at a level commensurate with their education and experience.

Conclusion

Rebalancing the Australian labour market is essential for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Addressing the structural barriers of occupational segmentation and the unequal division of unpaid care will not only advance SDG 5 (Gender Equality) but is also critical for unlocking national productivity, ensuring workforce sustainability, and fulfilling the promise of SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) for all citizens.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on gender equality at work in Australia directly addresses and connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary goals identified are:

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  This is the central theme of the article. The text explicitly discusses the lack of progress in gender equality at work, focusing on issues like the gender pay gap, the unequal burden of unpaid domestic work, women’s underrepresentation in leadership roles, and occupational segregation. The creation of the “Gender Equality @ Work Index” is a direct attempt to measure and track progress towards this goal in the context of employment.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article connects gender inequality to economic performance, stating that stubborn gaps are “holding back business and the economy.” It addresses key aspects of decent work, including equal pay, job security, and safe working environments. The discussion on “men’s jobs” receiving “higher pay and better conditions” than “women’s jobs” directly relates to the goal of achieving decent work and equal pay for work of equal value for all.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  This goal is addressed through the article’s focus on reducing the economic inequalities between men and women. The entire analysis of the “Gender Equality @ Work Index,” which measures disparities in participation, pay, security, and leadership, is an examination of inequality within the Australian labour market. The article highlights how gender segmentation “reinforces inequality” and restricts opportunities.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

• Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family.

  The article directly supports this target by identifying the unequal division of unpaid work as a primary barrier to gender equality. It states that the “hours” measure has a low score of 76 “because women still do most of the unpaid work at home.” It further argues that policies are needed to “support men’s contribution to the care of young children and the elderly” and to rebalance unpaid domestic work.

• Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.

  This target is addressed in the discussion of the “stratification” dimension of the index. The article notes a positive improvement in this area, “due to women’s increasing employment in senior roles that reflect their education and experience,” which directly relates to ensuring women have equal opportunities for leadership in economic life.

• Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value.

  The article’s focus on “stubborn gaps in pay” and the fact that jobs in male-dominated sectors receive “higher pay and better conditions” than those in female-dominated sectors directly relates to the principle of equal pay for work of equal value. The overall goal of the index is to move towards full and productive employment for women that reflects their high education levels.

• Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers…

  This target is clearly identified through the “safety” and “security” dimensions of the index. The article notes that safety is the only measure where equality has “gone backwards,” citing that women have experienced “significantly higher rates of workplace sexual harassment and psychological injury.” The “security” dimension, which measures “job stability and income stability,” also aligns with this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article explicitly introduces a comprehensive set of indicators through the “Gender Equality @ Work Index.” The seven dimensions of this index serve as direct indicators to measure progress towards the identified targets.

• Indicator for Target 5.4 (Unpaid Work): The “hours (in paid and unpaid work)” dimension is a direct indicator. The article uses this to show that women’s limited paid work opportunities are linked to them performing the majority of unpaid work.
• Indicator for Target 5.5 (Leadership): The “stratification (participation in management and leadership roles)” dimension directly measures women’s participation in senior and leadership roles, providing a clear metric for this target.
• Indicator for Target 8.5 (Equal Pay and Decent Work): The “pay” dimension is a direct indicator for measuring pay gaps. Additionally, the “segmentation (job type across industries and occupations)” dimension serves as an indicator, as it measures the gender divide in the workforce, which the article links to unequal pay and conditions.
• Indicator for Target 8.8 (Safe and Secure Work): The “safety” dimension, which tracks rates of sexual harassment, psychological injury, and physical injury, is a direct indicator for safe working environments. The “security (job stability and income stability)” dimension is an indicator for secure working environments.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: theconversation.com