International Women’s Day

Each year International Women’s Day is acknowledged on 8 March with the mission of celebrating women across the world. It is a time to recognise how far we have come in the pursuit of gender equality but also how far we still have to go.

The message is clear: Women’s rights are human rights, and International Women’s Day encourages communities to reflect on how we can continue to do better.

Did you know that in 1911 only eight countries across the globe allowed women to vote? And while today we strive to achieve equal pay for men and women, equal work was unlikely, with women often denied the opportunity to enter the workforce.

In Australia, conversations are happening along with a gradual change toward equality in many areas. It’s exciting to know that today there are many women who feel they have not encountered discrimination or faced barriers to achieve success in their lives. Unfortunately that is not the experience of all women.

International Women’s Day is a call to action to stand up for women across the globe. This includes women who are further marginalised due to ethnicity, disability, religion and sexuality.

Women’s crucial contribution to the workforce and community

Caring, compassionate, talented, professional women fulfil the majority of care roles in Australia — a fact that should not be taken for granted.

At Catalyst Education’s RTOs we have seen many people make incredible and inspiring contributions to early childhood education and aged care, with the majority of these being women.

Their work changes lives for the better — laying the foundation for children to have the best start in life, and supporting the elderly to live with dignity as they age.

Challenging gender stereotypes in aged care and early childhood

In a gender-equal world we can provide more opportunities to reinforce the fact that caring is a human response of which both men and women are capable of. Gender equality can enable us to work together to make a difference.

Even in Australia, gender stereotypes continue to have an impact on career choices for both women and men. While providing care and the desire to help and make a difference to the wellbeing of others is a human quality evident across all genders, care roles are still typically viewed as roles for women.

While around 30 percent of aged recipients are men, only 10 percent of carers in the sector are male. Female aged care workers make up approximately 90 percent of the sector’s workforce. This significantly high percentage of women in aged care roles is similar across all western countries.

Meanwhile, early childhood education in Australia is equally available to young boys and girls, yet when it comes to the workforce, around 97 percent of educators are women. That leaves as little as three percent of educators who are male.

The movement behind days like International Women’s Day help us to empower women to reach their fullest potential as a human being, not just as a women.

Our thanks to women on IWD

Women are a vital part of our team as trainers, support staff and leaders. This International Women’s Day, and every day, we send our thanks to all women. To the women we work with, we acknowledge the brilliant work you accomplish and the immense contribution you make.

At Catalyst, we will continue to support women to find the right career for them and succeed at every level across the workforce and in our communities.