The National Women’s Alliance1 has called on Commonwealth and State/Territory Governments to reduce the systemic barriers to women with family responsibilities who wish to enter or return to the workforce.

The organisations have released a report prepared by the National Foundation for Australian Women, which consulted women across Australia and heard first hand of the difficulties they face trying to enter the workforce.

In the light of the report findings, the Alliance is calling for all levels of government to review their social inclusion strategies.

“The national Social Inclusion agenda currently fails to ensure a gender analysis which would highlight the specific disadvantages women face at regional levels,” said Marie Coleman, National Foundation for Australian Women.

“All agencies should ensure that there is better analysis of government statistical data by gender,” she says.

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