National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality

The AMA recently lodged a submission to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s consultation on a National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality. The AMA is pleased to see a focus on such an important issue that affects all aspects of people’s lives. The AMA’s submission covers gender equality issues under the topics of public health, health care, research, and workforce.

We have seen our fair share of government strategies over time, all with varying levels of success. We want to ensure this strategy results in measurable improvements to gender equality. The AMA submission highlights that the strategy should focus on gender equity to recognise the barriers to achieving equality and supporting women and other disadvantaged groups to succeed. Achieving gender equity requires removing unfair, unjust, and avoidable disparities in health. Examples of inequities include the inaccessibility of a range of sexual and reproductive health care services (such as abortion and affordable contraception), and delayed diagnosis for conditions such as endometriosis and myocardial infarction. Cisgender women have also been found to be less likely to receive appropriate pain relief than cisgender men and are underrepresented in clinical research.

The AMA submission also implores the department to consider recent AMA submissions to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee inquiry into Universal Access to Reproductive Healthcare and the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2032.

The medical workforce is no exception when it comes to gender inequality. Within the medical profession, women continue to earn less than men. While the starting salary in full-time employment between males and females in medicine in Australia is similar, as female doctors progress in their careers they are likely to earn less. Gender inequality also has impacts on career progression, child bearing and discrimination in the workplace for female doctors, and women are under-represented in healthcare leadership.

Gender inequities should be considered and addressed in the development of all policies, especially those that impact on women’s health. The department should ensure that the strategy is able to produce measurable outcomes and targets to achieve gender equity that makes a real difference to women’s lives. This includes adequate accountability and funding to achieve the strategy’s targets and outcomes. The AMA looks forward to seeing a draft strategy and will continue to advocate for gender equity within health and the healthcare system.