The Office for Women supports the Australian Government’s objectives to advance gender equality at home, in our region and around the globe, in accordance with Australia’s Working for Women: a Strategy for Gender Equality and Australia's International Gender Equality Strategy by:
- promoting women and girls' human rights at a range of international forums
- fulfilling Australia’s reporting requirements under numerous international conventions and resolutions
- engaging bilaterally with regional organisations and civil society to safeguard gender equality as a human right
- demonstrating leadership by sharing best practice and learning from the practice of others around the globe.
United Nations
Commission on the Status of Women
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. CSW is instrumental in promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on the empowerment of women.
Each year, the UN hosts a 2-week CSW session at the UN Headquarters in New York City to discuss progress made on gender equality, identify ongoing challenges, set global standards, and develop policies designed to promote gender equality and women's empowerment.
The Office for Women supports the official Australian delegation to CSW, including Australian civil society, to advance the rights of women in all their diversity at the annual conference.
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
The United Nations’ Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) is an international agreement adopted in 1995, that seeks to achieve the equal rights of all women and girls.
The BPfA centers on 12 areas of action:
- women and poverty
- women and education
- women and health
- violence against women
- women and armed conflict
- women and the economy
- women in power and decision-making
- institutional mechanisms
- women's human rights
- women and media
- women and the environment
- the girl child.
The Office for Women supports Australia’s participation in the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference, a forum held every 5 years to review the region’s progress towards BPfA.
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is an organisation of 21 members committed to promoting and accelerating regional economic integration and prosperity.
Australia participates in the Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy (PPWE) and Women and the Economy Forum (WEF), which brings together public and private sector representatives from APEC members to advance gender equality and economic empowerment. Australia supports cooperation and capacity-building activities through these forums. In 2023-2024, Australia chaired the PPWE.
G20
The Group of Twenty (G20) is the premier forum for global economic cooperation – representing about 80% of global GDP, 75% of global exports and 60% of the global population. Australia has been a member of the G20 since it began in 1999 and is committed to advancing gender equality as a G20 priority.
Australia works constructively with other G20 economies to contribute to advancing equal opportunities for women and girls globally. The Office for Women supports Australia’s engagement on gender equality matters at the G20, including through the Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG) and the G20 EMPOWER Alliance.
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