Published: 7 February 2023
Last updated: 5 March 2024
Only two of the 23 Australia Day Honours in the Jewish community went to women. MELINDA JONES discusses how to address this inequity.
As a Jewish women's group dedicated to promoting gender equality for the past 100 years, the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJWA) is disheartened by the recent Australia Day Honours list. Only two of 23 awards given to members of the Jewish community were given to women.
This constitutes a mere 9% of the Jewish recipients and is a clear indication that, despite progress in other areas, there is still much work to be done in terms of promoting gender equality within the Australian Jewish community.
The inclusion of Jewish women in the Australia Day Honours has been similarly lacklustre for a number of years. In 2021, only three of 22 awards to Jewish recipients were given to women, and in 2020, the number was two out of 21. This trend is concerning and raises important questions about the barriers preventing Jewish women from being recognised for their achievements.
Notably, the failure to acknowledge women’s contribution in the Jewish community is out of step with the general trend. The percentage of overall female recipients grew slightly in 2023, up two percent on the previous year to 48%. This is the highest percentage of female Order of Australia recipients since the introduction of the Australian honours system in 1975 and is approaching a just and proportional representation of women in the population.
The low representation of Jewish women in the Australia Day Honours highlights a broader issue within the Jewish community. Women continue to face significant challenges in reaching leadership positions and being recognised for their contributions. Plus 61J Media’s survey of the NSW community last year and the ACJC survey in Victoria the previous year showed women still face bullying, exclusion and harassment. This is despite the fact that the Jewish community has a rich history of female trailblazers and leaders who have made a significant impact in a variety of fields.
It is imperative that the Jewish community takes action to address this issue and work towards a more inclusive and equitable society. We need to create opportunities for women to showcase their skills and achievements.
We must also advocate for the recognition of women who make contributions and work to dismantle the systemic barriers that prevent women from reaching their full potential and being acknowledged for their contributions. These systemic barriers include:
- Gender bias and stereotypes
- Lack of flexible work arrangements, which make it difficult to balance work and family obligations
- The pay gap: in Australia women earn 14% less than men
- Unequal access to networking and mentorship opportunities
- Sexual harassment and discrimination
- Lack of women in senior leadership positions, limiting both opportunities to advance and role models for women in leadership.
Breaking down these barriers and promoting gender equality can help to level the playing field for women and ensure that they have the same opportunities to succeed as men in the workplace.
The dismal recognition of women in the Australia Day Honours serves as an important reminder of the need for continued action towards gender equality in the Jewish community. It is only through a concerted effort to support and empower women that we can create a more just and equitable society, where everyone has the opportunity to succeed and be recognised for their achievements.
The Jewish community can support and empower women by creating a culture that values and recognises their contributions. Specific initiatives such as awards and recognition programs which acknowledge the achievements of women can help to break down the gender biases that prevent them from being acknowledged for their work.
NCJWA (Vic) has developed an important strategy to ensure women are represented equally in leadership positions – on boards, panels and as speakers – within the Jewish community. The #MakeSpaceForHer campaign asks organisations to take a pledge to improve equality in their organisation and to act on that pledge. This is an important first step.
It is also far from a burden on the community. Equality is good for women, but it has also been empirically shown to improve organisational performance and financial productivity.
As gender equality has not occurred organically, the Jewish community needs to actively seek out opportunities to recognise, promote and celebrate women. Only then will we be aware of what women achieve and how women hold up half the sky.
Top photo: Medal of the Order of Australia
