Introduction & Timeline
Women’s rights are human rights.
Due to some social structures, traditions, stereotypes and attitudes about women and their role in society, women do not always have the opportunity and ability to access and enforce their rights on the same basis as men.
Women have historically been excluded from large parts of public and political life in Australian society. For example, women were not elected to the Commonwealth Parliament until 1943. It wasn’t until 1965 that Australian women won the right to drink in a public bar. During the 1960s women working in the public service and in many private companies were forced to resign from their jobs when they got married.
While we’ve come a long way in the last 100 years, there are still many areas in Australian society in which women and girls experience unequal treatment.
Source: 2014, Something in Common: Women's Rights, Australian Government, Sydney, accessed 23 February 2016, <https://somethingincommon.humanrights.gov.au/hot-topics/womens-rights>.
This is a great timeline of women's rights in Australia. Click on the picture.
Using achival footage and photographs, this is a fascinating portrayal in 4 parts.
See section 4: 1960 - now: Social rebellion, Women's Liberation movement, equal pay, social change.
Useful links
- Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 (Cth) From Documenting Democracy - a site which has copies of original documents to read and view.
- Legislation that affected women [PDF]From Ms Shanks - a timeline of legislation that affected women
- Women's legal status act 1923 [.docx]Edith Cowan "introduced , and saw passed a private member’s bill to eliminate discrimination against women in Western Australia. This became Women’s Legal Status Act 1923."
Source : http://www.eoc.wa.gov.au/about-us/the-equal-opportunity-commission-wa
- History of Women in Queensland [Website]Features women's right to vote, achievements and milestones timeline and great women in history.
- Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 [Website] The Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 (Act) replaced the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999. The strengthened legislation aims to improve and promote equality for both women and men in the workplace.
- Electoral Milestones for Australian Women [Website] Timeline of women's suffrage, right to vote and female politicians.
- Selected Highlights: Differences between Aust. Men & Women [Infographics] As at September 2017. While over 80% of Australian men and women reported they were satisfied with their lives, there are significant differences in their health, social and economic characteristics, and their work and family balance.
- Young women in the 70's versus today - who has it better. [Website] Article by Inga Ting, appearing in the Sydney Morning Herald, March 2017.
The following graphs come from the Sydney Morning Herald article "Young Women in the 70's versus today - who has it better?" by Inga Ting.
Women's rights: Equal Pay for Equal Work
SOURCE: Australian Human Rights Commission, URL: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/education/students/hot-topics/womens-rights.
- National Human Rights action plan : Women's rightsFrom the Human Rights law Centre
Famous Australian women
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Nancy Wake (1912 - 2011) Nancy Wake (The White Mouse) was a secret agent during the Second World War. Living in Marseilles with her French industrialist husband, Wake slowly became enmeshed with French efforts against the Germans, and worked to get people out of France. |
Edith Cowan (1861 - 1932) Edith Cowan is best remembered as the first woman to be elected to an Australian parliament. But she was a pioneer in many other ways as she struggled for equal rights for women and the protection of children. |
Sally Morgan (1951 - ) Sally Morgan is a writer & artist whose work explains what it means to be an Aborigine. |
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Oodgeroo Noonuccal (1920 - 1993) Oodgeroo Noonuccal was a poet, an actress, writer, teacher and artist and campaigner for Aboriginal rights. |
Yvonne Goolagong Cawley (1951 - ) Evonne Goolagong Cawley is one of Australia's most successful tennis players. She won Wimbledon twice and was a top ranked player for more than ten years. |
Dame Roma Mitchell (1913 – 2000) Roma Mitchell was the first Australian woman to be a judge, a Queen's Counsel, a chancellor of an Australian university and the Governor of an Australian state. |
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Cathy Freeman (1973 - ) |
Famous Australian Women:
Dame Joan Sutherland (Opera Singer) Dawn Fraser (Swimmer) Sister Elizabeth Kenny (Nurse) Pat O'Shane (Aboriginal Barrister) Betty Cuthbert (Athlete) Dr Helen Caldecott (Nuclear activist) |
Continued: Dr Faith Bandler (Human Rights activist) Caroline Chisholm (Humanitarian) Mary McKillop (Catholic Nun) Elizabeth Macarthur (Pastoralist) Janet Holmes a Court (Business woman) Jenny Kee (Artist & Fashion Designer) Nancy Bird (Pilot) |
Links
- International women's day teaching resourcesFrom the SSTUWA
- International women's day teaching resourcesFrom Ms Shanks. Has lots of links
WASLA Teacher Librarian of the Year- 2017: Jo-Anne Urquhart
- 2016: Lise Legg
WASLA Library Officer of the Year- 2012: Karen Notley