Women’s economic empowerment is central to a gender equal world. When women are given equal opportunities to earn, learn and lead, entire communities thrive.
With this in mind, an expert panel gathered on the eve of International Women's Day to discuss the ongoing challenges facing women in the emergency sector, as well as share what the research is highlighting as the way forward.
Co-hosted with Gender and Disaster Australia, attendees heard from Dr Tegan Larin (Research Fellow, School of Design, Monash University), Kate Brown (Project Officer, NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment), Stephanie Andrade (Manager, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, AFAC and AIDR) and Loriana Bethune (Research and Innovation Manager, Gender and Disaster Australia).
Tegan, Kate, Stephanie and Loriana highlighted how research can inform constructive and sustainable conversations and action within the emergency and disaster sector, as well as noting the gap in research addressing non-binary community members. The direction of the broader emergency services and emergency management sector could and should take was discussed, as well as the power of equity as a strategic enabler of all the important initiatives facing the sector – and society as a whole.
Watch the event below.