Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade in response to its inquiry into gender equality as a national security and economic security imperative
NFAW welcomes this inquiry into gender equality as a national and economic security imperative and thanks the Committee for the opportunity to make this submission. We are available and would be pleased to address any questions and give further evidence to the Committee during hearings.
Recommendations
NFAW recommends:
1. The development of an Australian National Security Strategy which:
a. identifies gender equality as a critical element of the definition of ‘security’;
b. uses a human rights framework and maps risks and actions against the impact on human rights in Australia;
c. identifies the elimination of gender inequality as a priority action;
d. articulates the benefits of gender equality for all Australians vis a vis Australia’s national security;
e. adopts an intersectional approach to identifying and addressing gender inequality;
f. requires Commonwealth Departments and other federal entities to conduct gender impact analysis across all policies and areas of responsibility (particularly all domestic areas of policy and responsibility) which are identified in the strategy as critical to Australia’s national security and incorporate the results into its policies and practices. This activity should include but not be limited to recommendations 2 and 3 below; g. directs adequate resourcing to the Commonwealth Office for Women and / or other relevant bodies to support Departments and entities to build internal capacity to perform the above analysis.