ForbesWomen’s Post

International Day of Women Judges 10 March To achieve justice, we need more women in justice. Despite women’s increased engagement in public life, they remain significantly underrepresented in decision-making positions. In fact, a relatively small number of women have been, or are part of, the judiciary, particularly at senior judicial leadership positions. Women’s representation in the judiciary is key to ensuring that courts represent their citizens, address their concerns and hand down sound judgments. By their mere presence, women judges enhance the legitimacy of courts, sending a powerful signal that they are open and accessible to those who seek recourse to justice. The entry of women judges into spaces from which they had historically been excluded has been a positive step in the direction of judiciaries being perceived as being more transparent, inclusive, and representative of the people whose lives they affect. By marking the day, we will reaffirm our commitment to develop and implement appropriate and effective national strategies and plans for the advancement of women in judicial justice systems and institutions at the leadership, managerial and other levels. Join us in celebrating this International Day of Women Judges with the campaign “Women in Justice, women for justice” to promote the full and equal participation of women at all levels of the judiciary, to celebrate the progress that has been made and raise awareness about the challenges ahead.

With the volume of news stories about DEI being rolled back by companies, state mandates, and even federal initiatives, it’s no wonder that people are uncertain about how to navigate diversity initiatives in today’s landscape. Why is DEI under so much scrutiny... 👀 Continue reading: https://lnkd.in/eFMTU_Wg #diversity #DEI #diversityinitiatives

Our Think Tank undertakes research to remove the barriers to women’s fulfilment at work, in communities and through family life. Our findings help decision-makers and policy-makers provide more and better choices to women of all backgrounds. For too long, discussion of women’s issues has taken place in a political environment designed by men, for men. The discussion is also all too often tainted by external ideological fads such as identity politics. Doctrinaire and outright fanatical approaches are off-putting, ineffective or outright counterproductive. Our approach is different: we focus on evidence, seek a wide range of views, and use pragmatic, constructive arguments to put women’s needs on the political agenda. Our focus is on national issues with an international reach, drawing on the best practices from other advanced societies. To support women’s advancement, professional and relational, we draft policies that deliver more opportunities at work, in public life, and for the family. We draw on surveys, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and interviews with experts. Although our focus is on women’s daily experiences, we cannot afford to ignore the issues shaping men’s lives, too. Women are voters, campaigners and community-builders. They are the catalyst for a flourishing society. It’s time to listen to what they want and meet their needs. #thinktank #policy #politics #womensrights

📢 After recently attending the CLC event on Women in Public Office and Leadership, a rich and engaging discussion ensued with a speaker panel highlighting how female leaders are overcoming the challenges and balancing this with the honor of holding public office! The panel discussed, among other pertinent aspects: ✅ Mental health advocacy and politics The panel highlighted an Asian American woman's journey from childhood to political advocacy, overcoming stigma and serving others! ✅ Gender and leadership in public office Speakers shared their experience of facing hurdles and questions about their gender and motivation to hold office when expressing interest in running for public positions. ✅ They highlight a research study that reveals college-age women and men have different views on how to bring about social change Amanda Hunter: 'an "Imagination barrier" refers to lack of visual representation of diverse leaders too.' ✅  Gender barriers in politics and media coverage Men need to see more examples of supportive husbands in leadership positions, just like Vice President Kamala Harris's second gentleman. 📢 'Women in politics face media coverage challenges, including gendered stereotypes and liability concerns.' ✅ On Gender and finance in politics. Nikki Haley called out sexism in media, while facing it herself. Women face financial obstacles in politics, including unequal pay and limited funding. 🔊 "Female leaders face significant fundraising challenges in politics due to systemic barriers and biases" Solutions? ↪ Educate party leaders and hold them accountable for promoting more women into leadership positions ↪ Make policy changes allowing candidates to use campaign funds for childcare, taking a salary. ↪ Inspire young women and girls to become future leaders by showing examples and encouraging them early! Watch the full clip at Campaign Legal Center. https://lnkd.in/eektUVbq #bias #fundraising #leadership #womeninleadership #stem #education

This week’s Harvard Business Review article is spot on about the glass escalator in the #NFP sector as is evident in this US research- most likely very similar to Australia from my sector experience. As it says it’s once a NFP builds stronger revenues that the #genderbias switches and #glassceiling appears as men step in. And notably usually white men is the additional bias in the USA. Is this about women’s #strengths in nurturing and building #passion that suits creating NFPs over seeking earnings vs male management style and priorities? Do males step in once their potential success is visible? And why do males then attract more #revenue…? Watch this space as we hopefully discover more in this research space… and reduce such inequality. Yellow Ladybugs Roo Harris #malebias #DEI #lackoftransparency #lackofequity

Elaine Stead has written this very powerful article with a lot of truths that unfortunately some of the population will deny, ridicule and or justify. It happens to very famous, accomplished and powerful women and as the article says, if it can happen to them, how much easier to do it to women with less power and agency. Please read the article in it's entirety and think about where and how you've seen, experienced, participated in, or walked past this behaviour. It needs to stop. The damage to us as a society, a culture, an economy and as individuals is incalculable. We need to do better and be better.

Today is International Women’s Day and an opportunity to celebrate the significant contribution that women all over the world make to their various societies and communities. There is too little focus and recognition given to the influence women have had in the fields of physics, medicine, education, law, social science, economics, politics, family life and community engagement. Their substantial contribution in all these fields are greatly underplayed and unrecognised.   Many societies still exclude girls from educational systems and impose unfair and unwarranted expectations on them. These impositions restrict their development, curtail their self-expression and restrain their ability to contribute to the wider society both as social and economic agents. This is an incredible loss both to them and their societies.   Our community still struggles to bridge the gender pay gap, stop domestic violence, provide women specific health services and support those women struggling to raise families on their own. It labours to express its recognition of women’s contribution in all fields and underplays the importance of those areas of work where women dominate.    The importance given to male endeavour and masculine characteristics in our society ensures that women and feminine traits are devalued and suppressed. We fail to recognise and admit that those feminine traits of leadership, care, nurturing, and connection are at the heart of any truly successful society. To devalue women, and what they so clearly represent, is to devalue what is fundamental to our humanity.   To all women, thanks for who you are, what you do and what you help us to understand.  Attached is a picture of counsellors Jess Zhou (left) and Batsi Musa (right) who are based at Centrecare's Goldfields office.

Underrepresentation in senior public practice positions is a huge problem. Let’s talk about it. The culture of inequality doesn’t only victimise ethnic minority groups – it negatively affects firms and limits their chances of securing the best talent. So why does it continue to exist? Firms need to promote diversity by creating pathways that empower women and accountants of colour to progress. By disregarding inclusivity, firms are letting the best candidates slip through their fingers. Does the lack of diversity within public practice impact you or your firm?

Countdown until "experts" start talking about Kamala Harris' "likeability" problems. 10, 9, 8.... As Jessica Valenti wrote: "There is a reason men resort to calling women “nasty” or suggest we’re unpleasant when we try to hold them to account: They believe it’s a conversation ender. If we’re not sufficiently pleasing or deferential, we’re not really worthy of listening to." As Kathleen Hall Jamieson said: "[Likeability] is an unclear construct. We are making it relevant without asking why it should be. We don't know what it is." We just know female candidates have to be likeable to get elected, but male candidates don't. “Voters are perfectly willing to vote for a man for executive office that they think is qualified that they don’t like, but they are not willing to vote for a woman they think is qualified that they don’t like.” (https://lnkd.in/eprghwVK) "Research has consistently shown that women must show both qualifications and likeability to be elected; men only need to prove qualifications. Women also have to do more and be more than men to be considered likeable." (https://lnkd.in/enMNjP3P) Solution? Stop asking if candidates are likeable, as that only matters when it comes to female candidates. Since the question is inherently sexist, quit asking it. Ask about qualifications and record.