Achieving gender equity a work in progress: report

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Posted on 15 Apr 2025

By Greg Thom, journalist, Institute of Community Directors Australia

Australians are equally divided on the question of whether women are treated fairly and have access to equal opportunities according to new research.

Phase two of the Gender Compass project released by Plan International Australia found a concerning gap between perception and reality when it comes to gender equality in Australia.

Plan International Australia CEO Susanne Legena said the fact that one in two Australians believe that women are treated fairly in most areas of life and have access to the same choices and opportunities as men showed that there is still significant progress to be made in achieving gender equality for all.

“While 60 per cent of people believe we are close to or have already achieved gender equality, real-world data on the gender pay gap, workplace discrimination and underrepresentation of women in leadership tell a different story,” she said.

“The fact that 50 per cent of Australians believe women are treated fairly in most areas of life ignores persistent challenges such as unpaid labour disparities, gender-based violence on our streets and in our homes and systemic barriers in career advancement.”

90 per cent of Australians say gender equality is important to them personally
90 per cent of Australians agree we should treat every person with equal respect and dignity no matter their gender
80 per cent believe there are benefits to women having the same rights, opportunities and outcomes as men
80 per cent of Australians agree with solutions aimed at addressing gender inequality
75 per cent of Australians are open to discussing gender equality and related topics at work
62 per cent agree men have more opportunity than women to earn the main household income
62 per cent believe everyone will benefit if Australia reaches a point where women have access to the same rights, opportunities and outcomes as men.

50 per cent believe women in Australia are treated fairly in most areas of life and have access to the same choices and opportunities as men
63 per cent of Australians believe we are close to achieving or have already achieved women having the same rights, opportunities and outcomes as men
30 per cent of Australians think there is a war on men
Only 58 per cent support transgender and non-binary people having the same rights, opportunities and outcomes as cisgender people
26 per cent say equality doesn’t make sense given basic biological differences.

“In Australia, we’re seeing rising rhetoric against diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and a growing resistance to the notion of gender equality as a fundamental human right.”

Plan International Australia chief executive Susanne Legena.

The Gender Compass project is funded by the Minderoo Foundation, the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, the Snow Foundation, Equity Trustees, the Trawalla Foundation, Australians Investing in Women, and the Red Rocketship Foundation.

Plan International Australia CEO Susanne Legena.

Ms Legena said the world now find itself at a pivotal moment in time, where backlash against gender equality, cuts to global aid, escalating humanitarian crises, and political and economic instability are rolling back decades of hard-won progress.

“From limits on reproductive rights to restrictions on education and growing gender-based violence, these shifts are not just happening in far-off countries—they are reaching our own shores,” said Legena.

“In Australia, we’re seeing rising rhetoric against diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and a growing resistance to the notion of gender equality as a fundamental human right.”

Legena said such trends meant it was vital to continue pushing towards a gender equal future.

“Gender Compass is a call to action for all of us—to engage, to listen, and to act with empathy and determination. The world needs us to be united in this effort.”

Launched in 2023, Gender Compass regularly surveys a diverse cohort of Australians aged over 16 on their attitudes and beliefs in relation to gender equality and segments them into six groups:

Trailblazer (19 per cent)

Defined as hopeful about gender equity and strongly supportive of measures to address inequality, yet also frustrated, concerned, and thinking equality remains a fair way off. Trailblazers believe gender equality is everyone's business.

Hopeful (24 per cent)

Equality is important to Hopefuls and they are well aware of the issues and largely support measures to address inequality, but they feel less urgency and their voices are less insistent than those of the Trailblazers. Most have experienced negative impacts because of their gender, mainly relating to inequalities in caring, home and family duties.

Moderate (23 per cent)

Enthusiasm for gender equality is restrained. This mildly positive neutrality is evident in their hopeful, content feelings and lukewarm response to any change initiatives. For this segment, the importance of the issue is affected by their lack of awareness of the impacts of gender inequality and their focus on other priorities.

Conflicted (12 percent)

Gender equality is important, but action to address it is less so, since they are unaware of many of its impacts and believe we are very close to achieving it. Overall, they feel positive or neutral about gender equality and hold mixed views – both traditional and progressive.

Indifferent (six per cent)

Gender equality is just not on this segment’s radar. Predominant feelings are neutrality or uncertainty. Their awareness of the impacts of gender inequality is low, and when it comes to support for specific initiatives, most refrain from expressing a view either for or against.

Rejector (17 per cent)

Rejectors believe gender equality is no longer an issue, and equality for women has gone too far. It is men's experience of gender discrimination they are concerned with (yet they may not express this openly). They feel neutral or content about gender equality, are broadly unaware of its contemporary impacts and are the least supportive of any change initiatives.

The research highlights that despite the wide range of views on gender equity, organisations have an opportunity to speak to all people about the subject in an effective and inclusive way.

Gender Compass lead researcher Dr Rebecca Huntley

To that end, Plan International has released a guide designed support people in effectively communicating about gender equality.

Lead researcher Dr Rebecca Huntley said the Gender Compass confirmed the effectiveness of communicating based on commonly held values, using accessible language.

“This, coupled with everyday examples of the impact on people of all genders in a range of settings, make the problem recognisable and relevant, [and] points the way forward for a more productive and impactful discussion about gender equality.”

Huntly said Phase Two of Gender Compass showed leaders and organisations how to energise the Trailblazers and avoid polarising the Rejectors.

“But it also, most critically, shows how we can engage the ‘moveable middle’ and bring more people into the conversation about gender equality, despite the political and social challenges of the moment.”