Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Strategy

Today I announce the launch of the Australian Government's new strategy to further promote gender equality and the importance of constructively engaging women in society.

The Government's Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Strategy emphasises that empowering women and girls is critical to supporting economic growth, poverty reduction, development and security, particularly in our region.

The Strategy, the first of its kind, will drive progress in three key areas: ending violence against women and girls; women's economic empowerment; and women's participation in leadership and peacebuilding.

Australia will highlight these priorities through our bilateral, regional and multilateral engagement, as well as in our aid and economic diplomacy agendas. The work of the Ambassador for Women and Girls is also central in pursuing this agenda.

This Strategy builds on the Government's efforts to prioritise gender equality across Australia's foreign affairs and aid efforts. Since 2014, we have established a $50 million Gender Equality Fund and set an ambitious target requiring that 80 per cent of Australian aid perform effectively in promoting gender equality.

The Australian Government will continue to work closely with our partners to provide strong leadership and advocacy on advancing gender equality and women's empowerment.