Recognising women's economic role on International Women's Day

8 March 2012

Women's World Banking

In 2011, Australia began a new partnership with Women's World Banking (WWB). WWB is an example of an innovative cooperation between governments, donors and the private sector around the world to improve women's access to financial services, in support of the goals of gender equality and financial inclusion. To achieve this, WWB is designing innovative financial services, including savings for girls, rural finance, micro-health insurance, remittances and financial education to reach poor women through microfinance institutions.

Committed to education in Afghanistan

Australia is committed to increasing education opportunities for women in Afghanistan where school enrolments have increased since 2001 to more than seven million children–and more than 2.5 million of these are girls. Prior to this, there were very few opportunities for girls to get even basic primary education.

Improving food security in East Timor

In East Timor, the Seeds of Life program has been running since 2001. While this is a program about food security and improving crop yield, it's also about empowering women–women like Martina Boavida, who is a farmer in East Timor's Baucau district, and a mother of seven. She planted sweet potato for household consumption after receiving stems through Seeds of Life in 2006, and used the cuttings to multiply her crop.

Martina now has 1.5ha under cultivation, and earns $2000 each year by selling her surplus crop. Martina says that sweet potatoes are good for her family to eat, and the surplus means she can afford to buy beef and chicken to improve her children's diet, as well as pay for their school fees.

Strengthening the future for women and girls in PNG

Mr Marles, Ian Kemish and Susil Nelson with AusAID staff

Mr Marles with the Australian High Commissioner, Ian Kemish, President of the Buiness and Professional Women's Association of PNG, Susil Nelson, and AusAID staff.

Photo: AusAID

In Papua New Guinea, the Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs Richard Marles highlighted the importance of empowering women at an International Women's Day Breakfast.
Mr Marles said Australia and the PNG Government and people are working together to strengthen the future for women and girls.
He said maternal and child health and fighting violence against women were priorities for the Australian aid program in PNG.
'We are also working to build women's capacity through education–because education is the single most effective investment we can make to girls, to women, to communities, countries and the world.'

Improving livelihoods in Burma Australia's support through the Livelihoods and Food Security Trust (LIFT) Fund in Burma has helped an estimated 222,000 households–and around 550,000 women and girls have shared directly in the benefits. They have been given access to decision-making roles within their communities through farmers' groups, village development committees and microfinance groups. They have been trained in management, livelihood, and vocational skills. They have used microfinance to build successful enterprises in fishing, livestock and gardening activities.