Break the Bias, the Department marks International Women's Day

It is also an opportunity reflect on our journey towards achieving gender equity and what actions we can take to #breakthebias.

While we still have more work to do, the Department is proud of the gains it has made, including attaining 96 percent gender equity across all salary levels.

We are also part of the Western Australian Government’s Stronger Together: WA’s Plan for Gender Equality.

To mark IWD we have a special message from some of the women playing important roles in the delivery of WA’s justice services. You can watch the video on our Facebook channel.

You might also be interested in the following statistics for Western Australian women, from the Stronger Together website.

• 50% of Western Australians are women and girls
• WA’s gender pay gap is 21.9% compare with 14.2% across Australia
• In 2020, 37% of women held a Bachelor Degree or above, compared with 29% of men
• Women’s average superannuation balances at, or approaching, retirement age are $290,000, compared with $360,000 for men
• Women perform around 75% of all unpaid work, including caring for children and others, housework and administration and volunteering
• 34.2% of ASX 200 board members are women
• 47% of members of the WA Legislative Assembly are women
• 44.2% of members of the Senior Executive Service in the WA public service are women
• Women make up 47% of the WA workforce compared to 36% in 1980 but are over-represented in part-time and casual work
• A survey conducted in May 2020 found that 3% of women in cohabiting relationships experienced partner violence for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Aboriginal women and women with restrictive long term health conditions at particular risk
• Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, women in Australia experienced severe rates of job loss – 8.1% compared to 6.2% for men
• Women’s employment has recovered well but employment recovery since March 2020 is still lower for women at 85.4% compared with 90.8% for men (to October 2021).

Only by working together to overcome bias and to achieve true parity can we ensure a safe, just and fair society where women and girls enjoy the same opportunities as their male counterparts and not only survive but thrive.