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ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14

www.unwomen.org.au

UN Women is the UN entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress in meeting their needs worldwide.

UN Women supports UN Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender equality and works with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programs and services needed to implement these standards. It stands for women’s equal participation in all aspects of life, focusing on five priority areas:

• increasing women’s leadership and participation• ending violence against women• engaging women in all aspects of peace and security processes• enhancing women’s economic empowerment• making equality central to national development planning

and budgeting

National Committees exist in 17 countries to support the work of UN Women. Our mandate is to raise awareness of UN Women’s work and raise funds for its programs.

Together, we are part of the world’s largest movement of people working towards gender equality.

Front cover photo: AMA Lyndy Simpson

CONTENTSMessages 4

Year in Review 6

Our Partners and Supporters 10

Investing in Women and Girls 12

International Women’s Day 14

Engaging the Australian Government 16

Challenging Attitudes Which 18 Perpetuate Gender Inequality

Raising Awareness in the Community 20

Building a Sustainable Organisation 22

Financial Reporting 23

Thank You 26

Photo: AMA Lisa Kingsbury

Dear Friends,

Since I assumed office as the Executive Director of UN Women, I have met staff and partners in civil society, government, the private sector and the United National system in all regions of the world. I can report that our mission to advance women’s empowerment and gender equality is gaining momentum and requires urgent action.

Evidence shows that equality for women is progress for all. Yet we have a long road ahead to make this a reality.

In every region of the world, women continue to earn less pay for work of equal value. More than 100 countries still have laws that ban women from certain jobs and prevent them from obtaining finance, owning businesses or conducting legal affairs.

An estimated 800 women continue to die every day from complications of pregnancy and childbirth. The risk is highest for adolescent girls, especially from so-called child marriage.

Today women remain under-represented in decision-making at all levels – from the family to the workforce, only around one in five parliamentarians is a woman.

And a global pandemic of violence against women and girls affects one in three women worldwide, destroying lives and the future we all want for our families and communities.

I am grateful for the longstanding commitment and support of National Committees and their membership in raising awareness and support for action to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment. This support brings real change in the lives of women and girls.

At UN Women, we believe in partnership. Together we can make the 21st century the century to achieve equality between men and women and progress for all of humanity.

With best regards,

Phumzile Mlambo-NgcukaUnited Nations Under-Secretary-GeneralExecutive Director of UN Women

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UN WOMEN

4 | AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR UN WOMEN ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14

MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR UN WOMEN ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14 | 5

The last 12 months have seen a transformation in the way that the National Committee operates and in our role supporting UN Women. Now in its third year of operation, UN Women has continued to streamline its operations and has completed a strategic review of the national committee model and structure. This drove us to review our operations and to change the way we work, including forming International Women’s Day (IWD) Committees to replace our volunteer Chapter model. Fundraising continues to be a priority and a challenge for the National Committee, but we were thrilled to welcome Janelle Weissman to our team as Fundraising Director in February 2014.

International Women’s Day in March 2014 was again one of the highlights of the year, raising more than $350,000 for UN Women programs in the Pacific and PNG. Panel discussions on women’s economic empowerment were held in each capital

city opening dialogue between civil society, business and government leaders about gender equality in business and wider society. We received fantastic feedback from the sell-out events and welcomed more than 350 new monthly donors to our organisation. IWD again enjoyed bi-partisan support from the leaders of both major political parties, with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition pledging their support for UN Women’s work at the IWD Parliamentary Breakfast. The National Press Club again hosted a forum for robust debate between the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, and the Shadow Minister for Women, Carers and Communities, Senator Claire Moore, on the strategies to accelerate gender equality.

This year has seen significant growth in momentum around the women, peace and security agenda. In partnership with the Australian Council for International

Development (ACFID), the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and the ANU Gender Institute, we hosted the first Civil Society Dialogue on Women, Peace and Security. The Dialogue brought together leaders from the Departments of Defence, Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australian Federal Police, the Office for Women and civil society to discuss the Government’s progress towards implementing the National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security. The National Committee also hosted eight community workshops across Australia, promoting community understanding of the women, peace and security agenda. Impetus has built around the agenda and we welcomed the appointment of a Women, Peace and Security Advisor within the Department of Defence, as well as the release of the Australian Government’s first progress report on the National Action Plan in July 2014.

Australian National Committee for UN Women Board President, Donelle Wheeler and Executive Director, Julie McKay with Prime Minister the Hon Tony Abbott MP at the

International Women’s Day Parliamentary Breakfast.

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND PRESIDENT


Donelle Wheeler Julie McKayPresident Executive Director

Executive Director of the Australian National Committee for UN Women, Julie McKay, President of the Australian National Committee for UN Women, Donelle Wheeler, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka & Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash

Ambassador for Women and Girls, Natasha Stott Despoja AM, Executive Director of Women in Business Development Samoa, Adi Tafuna’i and President of the Australian National Committee for UN Women, Donelle Wheeler

Thank you DONELLEOn behalf of the Board and Staff, I want to thank Donelle for her contribution to the National Committee over the last six years, most recently as President of the Board. In her time as President, Donelle has strengthened our relationship with UN Women, culminating in the signing of a new Recognition Agreement, overseen a major strategic review of our relationship with UN Women and continued to professionalise and develop the Board. Donelle has represented the Board at the UN Commission on the Status of Women and at a number of UN Women meetings around the world. Her ability to build lasting relationships with key government stakeholders is admired by all who know her.

I am confident that Donelle will never be far from UN Women’s work and will continue to be a passionate advocate for gender and development. It has been an incredible privilege to work so closely with Donelle during her time on the Board and in particular, her time as President. She is someone with incredible integrity, kindness and capacity. Without the volunteer contributions of women like Donelle, the National Committee would not be the organisation that it is today.

We have been lucky to be able to continue to deepen our relationships with UN Women in the Pacific, hosting visits for UN Women Country Representative from Papua New Guinea and UN Women Regional Director from Fiji. Their stories from the field continue to inspire our members and supporters and remind us all of the importance of the work that we do in Australia. In particular, community support for the Markets for Change Program continues to grow, as results from the pilot program are demonstrating that the markets are already safer and more profitable for women.

We would like to make special mention of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Aurizon who joined us this year as new partners. These new partnerships have far exceeded our expectations and we are grateful to have had the support of Ian Narev and Lance Hockridge throughout the

year. All of our partners and supporters play an important role in ensuring that the National Committee is an effective advocate, fundraiser and civil society organisation.

We continue to be inspired by our staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to support UN Women and would like to thank each of them for their commitment to gender equality and to our organisation.

The 2014-15 financial year brings with it changes for both of us personally, with Donelle completing her term as President in November, and Julie moving into her role on a part-time basis to take up an opportunity as the Gender Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Force. Change and growth continue to be part of the National Committee story and we look forward to the challenges that the year ahead will hold.


UN Photo: Mark Garten


HELPING OUR PACIFIC NEIGHBOURSOver 2013-14, our Pacific neighbours experienced both gains and setbacks in the path to gender equality. On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November 2013), the National Committee released a joint statement alongside ChildFund Australia and World Vision Australia to highlight the shocking rates of abuse against women in the Pacific region and ask the Australian public to give generously to aid programs working to end violence against women.

Dr Jeffrey Buchanan, Country Representative to UN Women in Papua New Guinea, visited Australia in November to speak to the government and Australian public about the work of UN Women in the Pacific, particularly the Safe Buses Program in development to make transportation safer for women and their children.

NATIONWIDE CONFLICTS, PERSONAL CONSEqUENCESInternational conflict and civil unrest continued to have a devastating effect on women and girls in 2013-14.

UN Women released a statement strongly condemning the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls by militant group Boko Haram and urged those responsible for the abduction to release the girls unharmed. The hashtag #bringbackourgirls went viral throughout the world, with high profile figures such as British actress and Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women, Emma Watson, posting pictures demanding the safe return of the girls.

The ongoing internal conflict in Syria has created tens of thousands of refugees, many of them living in Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan. A joint UN taskforce reported that more than half of all women in the camp were married as children. In March, Dr Mlambo-Ngcuka visited the camp to meet Syrian refugee women at the Women and Girls Oasis, a UN Women-led safe space for women to receive support and learn the skills they need to support their families.

In late June 2014, Dr Mlambo-Ngcuka condemned the deliberate targeting of women and girls in Iraq and reports of kidnapping, rape and forced marriage by militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

The all-too common occurrence of sexual violence in conflict was the topic of international attention in June 2014 at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in London. Australia’s delegation to the Summit included Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls, Ms Natasha Stott Despoja AM. Ms Stott Despoja was joined by Chief of the Australian Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison AO, who was invited after his video condemning the treatment of women by some men in the Australian Defence Force won acclaim around the world.

A NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR JULIE MCKAYIn March 2014 the National Committee welcomed the news that our Executive Director Julie McKay would be taking on a new role as Gender Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF). Julie has been working with former CDF,

General David Hurley AC DSC, and current CDF, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin AC, on a part-time basis while continuing her work with the National Committee as Executive Director. The role is a credit to Julie and her leadership on gender equality.

UN WOMEN WELCOMES A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR In July 2013 UN Women welcomed new Executive Director, Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, replacing Her Excellency Michelle Bachelet AC. The National Committee welcomes the appointment of the new Executive Director and notes the remarkable work that Dr Mlambo-Ngcuka has done in her role so far to advocate for the rights of women and girls.

Image: UN Photo Martine Perret

UN Women Goodwill

Ambassador Emma Watson

supporting #bringbackourgirls

campaign calling for the return of

kidnapped school girls in Nigeria.


OUR PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS

Government Partner

Gold Partner

Education Partner

Other Partners

Media Partners

Platinum Partner

National Partners

The contributions of our partners enable the National Committee to expand its reach and grow the pool of donors to UN Women. The National Committee would like to make special mention of the following partners who supported the National Committee in 2013-14.

Brand GuidelinesFebruary 2013


The Australian National Committee for UN Women also acknowledges the support of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet throughout the year.

University of Sydney Chancellor, Belinda Hutchinson AM, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash and Australian National Committee for UN Women Executive Director, Julie McKay at the launch of the

UN Women NC Australia and University of Sydney Business School MBA Scholarship program.

AURIZONAurizon became a Gold Partner of the National Committee in 2013-14. In addition to its significant support of International Women’s Day initiatives, Aurizon made a generous contribution of $10,000 to the Safe Cities Project, which works to make Pacific marketplaces safer. Aurizon also signed the Women’s Empowerment Principles during this inaugural year of partnership.

ABOUT OUR PARTNERS

Thank youThe National Committee relies on the support of our partners and members, and, on generous donations from individuals and organisations. We would like to acknowledge all our supporters who have enabled us to increase our contribution to UN Women again in 2014.

Commonwealth Bank Managing Director and CEO Ian Narev, speaking at the International Women’s Day Breakfast in Sydney. L-R: Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, Ian Narev and Executive Director of Women in Business Development, Adi Tafuna’i.

Managing Director and CEO of Aurizon, Lance Hockridge, wearing the purple ribbon in support of International Women’s Day.

THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY BUSINESS SCHOOLOur newest partner, the University of Sydney Business School, announced a new scholarship for women to complete a Masters of Business Administration (MBA), in collaboration with the National Committee, at Sydney’s International Women’s Day breakfast. This scholarship demonstrates the University of Sydney Business School’s commitment to advancing educational and leadership opportunities for women, to which the National Committee is proud to play a part.

ESPRITFollowing on the successes of 2013, Esprit’s Purple Collection was made available for sale online as well as in store during March 2014. Record sales across Australia and New Zealand resulted in a donation of $78,592 to UN Women’s Fund for Gender Equality, which funds innovative, community-driven and high-impact projects for women around the world. This successful partnership has generated over $160,000 in donations since its inception.

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE (DFAT)The National Committee has worked closely with DFAT (and the former AusAID) for more than a decade to build a successful program of International Women’s Day events. The Australian Government was a top five donor to UN Women in 2013 – for the second year running. The National Committee appreciates DFAT’s continued commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

COMMONWEALTH BANKThe Commonwealth Bank (CommBank) became a Platinum Partner of the National Committee in 2013-14. In addition to substantial contributions throughout the International Women’s Day campaign, CommBank sent a delegate and funded a youth delegate to participate in the UN Commission on the Status of Women in 2014.

Nicole da Silva, an advocate for the Australian National Committee for UN Women, wearing Esprit’s Purple Collection in mX magazine.


The Australian National Committee for UN Women is committed to supporting women and girls throughout the world by raising funds for innovative and effective projects which help women where the need is greatest. The Pacific is a small but vitally important region, one where women and girls are subjected to amongst the highest levels of violence in the world, where poverty remains widespread and where education and work opportunities for women remain critically low.

In 2013-14, with the help of our supporters, the National Committee raised $450,000 to help women and girls in the Pacific region. Investing in women and girls in our region is vital to reduce poverty and ensure that the development of our Pacific neighbour countries is beneficial to the whole of society.

OUR WORK WITH UN WOMEN PACIFICThe National Committee has been working closely with UN Women Pacific and the UN Women Papua New Guinea regional office to ensure urgent support is given to women

INVESTING IN WOMEN AND GIRLS

Political candidates participating in UN Women-led training in Solomon Islands.

Participants in UN Women-led training in Solomon Islands.

and their children. Through fundraising during our flagship International Women’s Day in 2014 events, the National Committee raised $350,000 to create safe markets for women in the Pacific. As well as providing funds to build market infrastructure and provide support services for women, the National Committee has connected UN Women Pacific with pro bono services, generously provided by Kramer Ausenco to improve market planning and design,

making markets safer for women vendors and customers alike. Women will now have access to safe and hygienic sanitation facilities and overnight accommodation at the markets.

The National Committee also contributed funds to the Safe Buses Program in Papua New Guinea, which will run women and children only buses to enable women to get to and from the marketplace, and women and children to and from school, safely.


A vendor at Honiara markets, Solomon Islands.

The National Committee’s Fundraising and Deputy Executive Director, Janelle Weissman, and long-time Board member, Anne Banks-McAllister, had the opportunity to visit the UN Women Pacific team, meet with grantees and observe candidate leadership training in action in March 2014.

At 3 percent, Pacific Island Countries & Territories have the lowest rates of women’s political participation in the world. When women are left out of decision-making, their needs are absent from policy. To increase the number of women in Parliament, women need to be prepared to stand as viable candidates.

With elections planned for Fiji, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands and Tonga during 2014, UN Women organised training for candidates and the media to increase women’s political participation and ensure balanced media coverage of issues impacting women in the region. Janelle and Anne attended one such leadership training session in the Solomon Islands – facilitating training and learning

about what has made these leadership programs successful in the region and around the world.

“I want to see boys and girls and men and women working together. And by working together we can move this country forward. Collective, gender-balanced decision-making is better because it can help the country to progress.”SADIE*, UN WOMEN LEADERSHIP TRAINEE, SOLOMON ISLANDS.

The National Committee’s end of financial year appeal raised more than $30,000 to support leadership training in the Pacific, as well as supporting safety initiatives following devastating floods.

The National Committee is very grateful to countless individuals and organisations for their support.

Find out more about UN Women’s work in women’s political participation and leadership at https://unwomen.org.au/focus-areas/leadership-and-participation

*Name changed for privacy and security reasons.

CASE STUDY: PACIFIC WOMEN AND LEADERSHIP

In 1997, 10 percent of parliamentarians worldwide were women.1

10%

20%

3%

UN Women is growing women’s political participation and leadership from the ground up.

REFERENCES

1. http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/arc/world251297.htm

2. http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/world.htm

3. https://unwomen.org.au/sites/default/files/UNW_BEIJING_FS_women-political_v3.pdf

4. https://unwomen.org.au/sites/default/files/UNW_BEIJING_FS_women-political_v3.pdf

Five women were elected to the Port Vila Council in Vanuatu in 2014, all of them graduates of UN Women leadership training.4

Almost 20 years later, this number has risen to just 20 percent.2

Just 3 percent of parliamentarians are women in Pacific Island Countries and Territories.3


ENDING POVERTY FOR WOMEN AND GIRLSInternational Women’s Day (IWD) in 2014 focussed on lifting women and girls out of poverty. Funds raised went to improving marketplaces in the Pacific, making them safer and more profitable spaces for women to work.

For many women in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji, the only way to make a living is selling produce. Women travelling to the markets experience high rates of harassment, assault and theft. Marketplaces themselves are often unsafe and underdeveloped.

Over the IWD period, the Australian National Committee for UN Women raised more than $350,000 to make marketplaces safe for women. In partnership with local authorities, UN Women has provided women in the markets with safe overnight accommodation for vendors and their children, as well as making markets more sanitary by providing kitchens, waste disposal facilities, toilets and showers. Local police and security guards have been trained in safety for women, meaning that both women shoppers and vendors feel safer in the marketplace.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATIONSThe International Women’s Day (IWD) week of celebrations began with a Parliamentary Breakfast held at Parliament House in Canberra. The Breakfast was attended by MPs and Senators from each party, including the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, and Leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Christine Milne. The Prime Minister, the Hon Tony Abbott MP, and Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Bill Shorten MP both addressed the room and spoke of their wish to create a gender equal world for their children. Special guest speaker Ambassador for Women and Girls, Ms Natasha Stott Despoja AM spoke passionately about the work of the Australian Government in providing assistance to our Pacific

neighbours and improving gender equality outcomes in the region.

The National Committee held six large events around the country to celebrate IWD, which were attended by more than 8,000 people. IWD Breakfasts were held in Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne, while an IWD Lunch was held in Canberra. The events were led by journalist Catherine Fox, ABC journalist and Australian National Committee for UN Women Board Member Virginia Haussegger AM and ABC Radio presenter Sonya Feldhoff.

These events were fantastic opportunities to celebrate IWD and the achievements of women past and present, to socialise with friends, family and colleagues and to learn about the challenges that women in our region still face on the road to equality. Informing the discussion on the state of women’s rights in the Pacific were Elzira Sagynbaeva, UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office Representative, and Adi Tafuna’i, Executive Director of Women in Business Development Samoa. Giving a local perspective on women in business and gender were Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, Managing Director and CEO of Aurizon, Lance Hockridge, and Commonwealth Bank Managing Director and CEO, Ian Narev.

At the Sydney IWD Breakfast the Prime Minister, the Hon Tony Abbott MP, addressed the room and spoke about his vision for an equal world for his daughters.

The annual National Press Club IWD Address was held on 6 March 2014, facilitated by Virginia Haussegger AM with panellists Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash and Senator Claire Moore speaking. Over 180 people attended the lively debate, which was televised live on ABC1.

With the support of advocates in actress Nicole da Silva and basketballer, Lauren Jackson, the National Committee was able to reach new audiences across Australia. Nicole and Lauren speak up for the rights of women and girls and encourage their networks to support the work of UN Women. Nicole attended the Brisbane IWD Breakfast, while Lauren attended the Canberra IWD Lunch.

View the photos from International Women’s Day events around the country at https://www.flickr.com/photos/unwomenaustralia/sets/72157641896825583/

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2014

IWD BY NUMBERS:

$350,000 raised for projects empowering women and girls in the Pacific

$36,000 generated from purple ribbons

30,000 tweets sent using the hashtag #iwd2014 at events around the country


120 media stories covering International Women’s Day events and UN Women projects

8,000 people at capital city events

Prime Minister the Hon Tony Abbott MP speaking at the International Women’s

Day Breakfast in Sydney.

Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick with students at the International Women’s


Former NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell with students at the International Women’s


Panellists at the International Women’s Day Breakfast in Sydney (from L-R): Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, Commonwealth Bank Managing Director and CEO, Ian Narev, Executive Director of Women in Business Development

Samoa, Adi Tafuna’I, UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Representative Elzira Sagynbaeva.

(From L-R): Journalist Catherine Fox, PNG Country Representative for UN Women, Dr Jeffrey Buchanan, Executive Director of Women in Business Development Samoa, Adi Tafuna’i, Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick and Fundraising and Deputy Executive Director of the Australian National Committee for UN Women, Janelle Weissman at the International Women’s Day Breakfast in Melbourne.

Australian National Committee for UN Women Board member Kathy

Hirschfeld, Aurizon Managing Director and CEO, Lance Hockridge,

and Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick.

Attendees of the International Women’s Day Breakfast in Perth.

(From L-R): Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, ABC journalist and Australian National Committee for UN Women Board Member, Virginia Haussegger AM and Senator Claire Moore at the National Press Club International Women’s Day address.

(From L-R): Executive Director of the Australian National Committee for UN Women, Julie McKay, Ambassador for

Women and Girls, Natasha Stott Despoja AM and ABC journalist and Australian National Committee for UN

Women Board Member, Virginia Haussegger AM at the International Women’s Day Parliamentary Breakfast.

In 2014 the National Committee continued to engage the Australian Government in issues around gender equality and women’s empowerment. The National Committee advocated on these issues through campaigns, events and forums such as the Equality Rights Alliance and the annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The National Committee also prepared submissions to parliamentary inquiries on violence against women with disabilities, the human rights of women and girls in the Pacific and Indian Ocean regions and the Defence White Paper. These submissions were prepared in consultation with civil society organisations and the UN Women Multi-Country Office in Fiji.

The National Committee quickly established good relationships with the new Government, working closely with new Ministers, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (incorporating Office for Women). These complemented existing relationships with the Office of the Ambassador for Women and Girls,

the Office of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, the Australian Civil Military Centre and the Australian Defence Force. National Committee staff participated in parliamentary breakfasts and consultations on issues ranging from child marriage, global women’s rights, Australia’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and on Reducing Violence Against Women and their Children.

COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMENThe 58th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW58) was held at UN Headquarters in New York from 10-21 March 2014. It focussed on challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for women and girls.

The Commission is the UN’s main intergovernmental body for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women, which are the mandates of UN Women. It meets annually for two weeks to review progress on global conventions

and standards on women’s rights, such as the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

Executive Director Julie McKay served as one of two NGO representatives joining the Australian Government delegation to the Commission. The National Committee sent two delegates to the Commission: Board Member Dimity Hodge and Youth Delegate Fiona Burke.

After two weeks of negotiations, CSW58 ended with an agreement that called for the acceleration of progress towards achieving the MDGs and confirmed the need for a stand-alone goal on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

CSW58 noted that progress for women and girls across all the MDGs remains slow and uneven and that marginalised women and girls who experience multiple forms of discrimination are not enjoying the same level of progress as other women. The Commission stated that progress towards gender equality must underpin progress against all other goals to achieve equality for all.

ENGAGING THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT

UN Photo: Albert Gonzalez Farran

UN Photo: Albert Gonzalez Farran


UN Women photo: Ryan Brown

Australian National Committee for UN Women Executive Director, Julie McKay, Australian Civil Military Centre Humanitarian Manager, Philippa Nicholson and Director of the National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security, Captain Jennifer Wittwer at the launch of the Women, Peace and Security Training Manual.

In 1992 rape was formally recognised as a crime against humanity and a war crime. Since then, the international community has been working to end impunity for perpetrators. These intentions have been expressed in six UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). The first of these, UNSCR 1325 was passed in 2000. It acknowledges the gendered dimension of conflict and the important role of women in peace building. The latest resolution, UNSCR 2122, was ratified in 2013 and lays out practical steps to ensure civil society’s participation in peace building, with a focus on women community leaders. Civil society have a key role in supporting governments to implement their commitments under these resolutions.

WORKING TOGETHER FOR GENDER EqUALITY: 2015 AND BEYONDCSW59 will be held in March 2015 to review the progress made over the past 20 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This document, known as the global roadmap for gender equality, was agreed upon at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995.

The year 2015 also marks the deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were established by the international community in 2000. Although progress has been made, the MDGs have not been met and efforts are underway to establish new goals, known as Sustainable Development Goals, for 2015 and beyond. Led by UN Women, the international community has identified the need for a stand-alone goal for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The National Committee is working with other Australian NGOs to organise community-level planning forums on these issues, to feed into policy submissions to Australian Government in preparation for CSW59.

LEADING THE WAY IN IMPLEMENTING UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITYAustralia is one of 46 countries with a National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) to implement UNSCR 1325 and subsequent resolutions. The National Committee has been working with a coalition of Australian organisations such as the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and the Gender Institute of the Australian National University to coordinate civil society monitoring of the implementation of the NAP through annual Dialogues and Report Cards. The first forum was organised in April 2013, followed by release of an Annual Report Card in October 2013. The second Dialogue, which is being funded by the Australian Civil Military Centre (ACMC) and the Office for Women, will take place in September 2014.

With a grant from the Australian Civil Military Centre, the National Committee developed a training package on women, peace and security to raise awareness of the importance of women as agents of change

in peace and security processes. Over the last 12 months the National Committee has organised eight civil society workshops with 280 participants in Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Wagga Wagga and an International Peace Day workshop for 37 people at Australian Federal Police (AFP) headquarters. The workshops provided training on gender issues for members of the public to become educated on the issue and for members of the AFP to use this knowledge on active service.

The National Committee also produced a training and introductory manual to the WPS agenda, 1300 copies of which were

printed for distribution to civil society and the armed services.

On 16-17 June 2014, WPS and UNSCR 1325 were centre stage at the annual Chief of Defence Force (CDF) Conference in Canberra, at which National Committee Executive Director Julie McKay launched the updated introductory manual and ran a training workshop on UNSCR 1325 for more than 200 ADF personnel. The event was opened by the Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon David Johnston, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop MP and outgoing CDF, General David Hurley AC DSC.


CHALLENGING ATTITUDES WHICH PERPETUATE GENDER INEqUALITY Through Australia-wide events, face to face fundraising, online campaigns and stories in the media, the National Committee is shifting attitudes and challenging misconceptions about women’s rights and gender equality. The National Committee engages with business, NGOs and academia and runs community events to raise awareness in all areas of society about the rights of women.

UN WOMEN IN THE NEWSGender issues in Australia and abroad received steady coverage in 2013-14. National Committee Executive Director Julie McKay was sought for comment on many issues, including the gender pay gap, Australia’s commitment to the women, peace and security agenda, paid parental leave and rates of violence against women.

Media partners Marie Claire and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation highlighted women’s rights issues throughout the year and iSentia provided invaluable media monitoring support to the National Committee.

LET’S NOT WAIT ANOTHER 20 YEARS FOR GENDER EqUALITY CAMPAIGN The National Committee launched Australia’s Beijing +20 campaign to raise awareness amongst the Australian public on women’s rights and equality and to encourage people to speak out about their vision for an equal future.

The campaign parallels the 12 month Beijing +20 global campaign launched by UN Women to focus on the priority areas of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and mobilise support for gender equality.

The Beijing +20 website contains information on each of the 12 areas of action and celebrates men and women who work for gender equality. There are many ways to get involved in the push for gender equality, including raising awareness on social media, adding your voice to close the gender gap and donating to empower women and girls by supporting UN Women projects.

The Australian National Committee for UN Women has a social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest. Over the past year, followers on each social media platform have increased considerably, with Facebook likes increasing 53 percent (5,174 likes) and Twitter followers increasing 41 percent (10,900 followers). With millions of people logging on to

social media every day, the National Committee is able to start conversations about gender equality on a daily basis, all around the world.

Engagement on social media reached a peak during International Women’s Day celebrations in March, with the hashtag #iwd2014 trending on social media in four Australian capital cities.


Image: DFAT Rob Maccoli

LEADING THE WAY IN BUSINESS THROUGH THE WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT PRINCIPLESThe Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set of seven principles that offer guidance for business to advance women’s empowerment and participation in the workplace. The Principles articulate the case for businesses to integrate gender equality throughout all streams of work, from supply chains, to flexible work policies, health, safety and leadership. The WEPs are the result of a joint initiative of UN Women and the UN Global Compact and are based on best practice of international business and corporations. Time and again, research shows that gender diversity improves business performance.

Aurizon and Griffin Legal signed the Principles in 2013-14 and are to be congratulated on their commitment to women’s empowerment.

“Our Company’s journey to becoming a more inclusive workplace has begun relatively recently and one of the most significant drivers has been the establishment of a Diversity Council to help effect real change,” says Lance Hockridge, Managing Director and CEO of Aurizon.

“We’ve got a range of diversity initiatives underway at Aurizon and I am sure this latest initiative will provide huge impetus to the improved outcomes the Company is seeking.”

By signing the WEPs, organisations take the first step in transforming their workplaces. The cultural change that results improves both reputation and the financial bottom line.

Is your workplace ready to lead the way? Find out more information on the WEPs at https://unwomen.org.au/WEPS

NGOs WORKING TOGETHER FOR WOMEN’S EqUALITYThe National Committee has been invited onto the Steering Committee of the Equality Rights Alliance (ERA), Australia’s largest network advocating for women’s equality, women’s leadership and the recognition of women’s diversity. The National Committee is represented on the Steering Committee by Policy and Advocacy Manager, Jacky Sutton.

SUPPORTING WORK IN ACADEMIAWomen, as the Chinese proverb has it, hold up half the sky. This is the title of a documentary series by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, which explores the role of women in ending gender inequality. The National Committee’s Executive Director Julie McKay joined Senator Claire Moore at the Australian National University (ANU) in April for a screening of a TedX Talk by WuDunn on the making of ‘Half the Sky’, followed by a discussion bringing together students and faculty from ANU, as well as members of the public.

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT PRINCIPLES

PriNciPlE 1: Establish high-level corporate leadership for gender equality

PriNciPlE 2: Treat all women and men fairly at work – respect and support human rights and non-discrimination

PriNciPlE 3: Ensure the health, safety and well-being of all women and men workers

PriNciPlE 4: Promote education, training and professional development for women

PriNciPlE 5: Implement enterprise development, supply chain and marketing practices that empower women

PriNciPlE 6: Promote equality through community initiatives and advocacy

PriNciPlE 7: Measure and publicly report on progress to achieve gender equality

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Image: UN Women Gaganjit Singh


RAISING AWARENESS IN THE COMMUNITY Throughout the year the National Committee, National Committee Chapters, schools and volunteers hold numerous events around Australia to raise awareness in the community about gender issues and to raise funds to support projects advancing gender equality. This year, these events included:

NATIONAL MULTICULTURAL FESTIVALThe National Committee was a charity partner at this year’s National Multicultural Festival, held in Canberra and attended by more than 250,000 people. Volunteers and staff spent the two day festival speaking with local and international people about UN Women’s work and selling purple ribbons to raise awareness about gender equality. All funds raised went to the Safe Buses Program in Papua New Guinea, which will run women and children only buses to enable children to get to and from school, and women to get to and from work in the marketplace safely.

COLOR RUN™The National Committee was a feature charity at Canberra’s Color Run™. The National Committee team was the largest team fielded, with over 60 members, board members, volunteers, interns, staff, supporters and friends joining in. The team raised $10,000 for projects to lift women and girls out of poverty by participating in the 5 kilometre run, which ended on a particularly colourful note.


Australian National Committee for UN Women staff, volunteers and supporters at the Color Run in Canberra.

Staff and teachers at Melton Primary School celebrate International Women’s Day.

TEAM BUSNikki Wright, a member of the Canberra IWD Committee and long-term volunteer at the National Office grouped together a team of 16 people to run the Canberra Marathon in April 2014. “Team Bus” ran to raise money to end violence against women in Papua New Guinea through the Safe Buses Program. Nikki and her team held film screenings, collaborated with local Rotary and Zonta Clubs and sold merchandise and chocolates to raise an incredible $16,000 to improve the safety of women and girls in PNG.

CITY2SURFThe Sydney Chapter organised a group of committed members this year to join forces to run the City2Surf, raising more than $4000 for women and girls. The group ran the City2Surf and sold National Committee water bottles and caps which were worn on the day.

CHAPTER EVENTSOur chapter members and supporters have been busy across Australia this year, organising events to raise awareness and funds for the empowerment of women and girls.

Among the many chapter events were trivia nights, information and discussion forums, film screenings, fun runs, art exhibitions, cake stalls, debates, community workshops and young women’s leadership forums.

The Sydney Young UN Women Australia (YUNWA) Chapter’s Opera House event raised more than $4000 to support women in Afghanistan.

The Melbourne YUNWA Chapter’s trivia night and Brisbane YUNWA Chapter’s fun run each raised $3000 to support programs working to end violence against women in the Pacific.

AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS CHAMPION GENDER EqUALITYOUR INAUGURAL GENDER EqUALITY CHAMPION SCHOOL Gender Equality Champion Schools commit to raising $3000 a year for UN Women projects supporting women and girls around the globe. Our first Gender Equality Champion School, St Andrew’s Cathedral School in Sydney, has been very supportive of the National Committee. Staff and students attended the Sydney International Women’s Day Breakfast and also hosted their own fundraising event, selling purple hair ribbons and International Women’s Day merchandise.

SCHOOLS CELEBRATEINTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAYWhile schools all over Australia celebrate International Women’s Day with events, purple ribbons and lessons from our International Women’s Day Schools Kit, the male teachers at Melton Primary School in Victoria went one step further to celebrate and appreciate the work of their female colleagues. The male staff put on a morning tea and showed a video they had made expressing their gratitude for the contributions of the female teachers and staff at the school.

Make your school a Gender Equality Champion School, or raise awareness in the classroom and community for International Women’s Day at https://unwomen.org.au/support-us/become-un-women-gender-equality-champion-school-today

Thank youThe National Committee would like to thank the incredible dedication, commitment and enthusiasm of our Chapters and YUNWA Chapters in raising awareness and funds for gender equality and the empowerment of women. Find out how you can volunteer for the National Committee at https://unwomen.org.au/about-us/work-us

Nikki Wright (centre) and “Team Bus” mates after completing the Canberra Marathon.

St Andrews Cathedral School students at the International Women’s Day Breakfast in Sydney.

Runners in the City2Surf raising funds for the Australian National Committee for UN Women.


BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE ORGANISATION AND FINANCIAL REPORTING NATIONAL OFFICE NEWSThe Australian National Committee for UN Women continues to be one of the strongest National Committee contributors to UN Women. UN Women’s 2013-14 Annual Report shows that the Australian National Committee was the second highest National Committee donor in the 2013 calendar year, providing just over US$319,000 to programs supporting women and girls.

The National Committee continues to advocate on behalf of UN Women to the Australian Government, encouraging support for women and girls in our region. In 2013, Australia was a top-five donor to UN Women, giving just over US$19 million in core and non-core contributions.

CHANGES IN STRUCTUREWith our Executive Director, Julie McKay, going part-time, this year we introduced a new leadership role into our staff team.

The National Committee welcomed a new Fundraising and Deputy Executive

Representatives from each UN Women National Committee meet at the Commission on the Status of Women in March 2014.

Director to the team in January. Janelle brings with her a wealth of experience in fundraising and communications and the National Committee is delighted to have her leadership on the team.

The National Committee now has 6.2 FTE at the National Office, as well as a committed team of interns and volunteers around the country. For a full list of current and previous staff over 2013-14, go to page 23 of this report.

In 2013, the National Committee took the difficult decision to change our model of

chapters and form International Women’s Day Committees.

IWD Committees operate in Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra and are seeking volunteers to assist with International Women’s Day events in March.

There are many ways for individuals to get involved. Become a member, fundraise, join your local IWD Committee or volunteer for the Australian National Committee for UN Women.

Government contributions to UN Women funding (in USD) in 2012

TOP

5 D

ON

OR

COU

NTR

IES Sweden

35,207,498

Norway28,053,310

Finland22,252,639

United Kingdom19,865,697

Australia

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18,200,000

I am pleased to present the Financial Reports for 2013-14 for the National Committee for UN Women. These accounts represent a very busy and exciting year for the organisation, and we are extremely proud to announce a contribution of $450,000 to UN Women programs in the Pacific and PNG.

Our operating surplus of $7,238, is up from $3,895 and like last year, the Board has responded to the urgent need for funds in our regional offices, and has maximised the funds going to UN Women programs, rather than significantly building our reserves. Our total as at 30 June 2014 is $528,024.

International Women’s Day continues to be a major source of revenue for the National Committee, with event based fundraising equating for the vast majority of our income and a sizable proportion of expenditure. We continue to see the costs involved in hosting major events increase, however recognise the important advocacy and awareness raising role that the events have. This year, our IWD campaign reached more than 4 million people and we received 1,069 individual donations at the events with more than 320 people becoming monthly donors for the first time. We are very grateful to all of our monthly donors for their ongoing investment in changing the lives of women and girls.

Once again, we were inspired by the vision of Esprit, who developed a purple clothing range for men and women raising funds for UN Women. More than $78K was raised over the sales period and staff and customers reported high engagement from the Esprit community.

During 2013-14, the National Committee underwent significant structural change in order to enhance our fundraising capability. This included investing in a Fundraising Consultant to support us in developing a Fundraising Strategy and purchasing a new fundraising database, Raisers Edge.

Despite significant structural changes to the aid program and funding to UN Agencies, core funding for UN Women

was maintained this year. While we had hoped that it would be increased in line with the four year increases made by the previous government, we are hopeful that this will occur in the next financial year.

The Board continues to maintain all cash in term deposits and while we acknowledge this delivers very conservative results, having cash at-call remains useful in a growing organisation. This year, we wrote-off a series of bad debts from 2011-12 and 2012-13 which is reflected in our profit and loss statements. These debts were largely related to unpaid invoices from the IWD Ribbon business.

Last year, we reported to members that we had set a target of reaching $2 million contributed by the National Committee to UN Women programs in the region by 2016. This year, I am proud to report that we will be contributing $450,000 (an increase of $105,000 since 2012-13). In addition to the financial component of our support, we have invested in providing direct support to our regional offices

While supporting this growth, we continue to invest in strategies that reduce our operational costs. Financial, non-financial and in kind partners are a core part of our business model. The National Committee could not achieve our mandate without the support of our major partners. The Commonwealth Bank and Aurizon joined the National Committee as our Platinum and Gold Empowerment Partners in 2013. It has been exciting to see the CEOs of both organisations take such strong positions on gender equality within their own organisation and in our region. We continue to be grateful for the support received from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Office for Women.

I acknowledge the continuing hard work of the staff, board, volunteers and local supporters who together, create a fun, dynamic and productive environment where our business can thrive.

I acknowledge and thank our Auditor Tony Bandle and our accountant, Karen Groves

from Successful Alliances. Both have been working with us for more than five years, and we are very grateful to them for their ongoing advice and support.

We have significant growth targets for the year ahead, and I look forward to working with all of our supporters to demonstrate to the world’s women that we are passionate about their futures and willing to invest in their lives.

Fran raymondChairFinance, Audit and Risk Committee


Fran Raymond, Chair, Finance, Audit and Risk Committee

FINANCIAL REPORTS 2013-14


BALANCE SHEETAS AT 30 JUNE 2014

2013-14 2012-13

CURRENT ASSETS

Cash and Equivalents $1,030,408 $789,699

Accounts Recievable $150,090 $79,302

Prepayments $10,571 $5,913

Event Deposits $9,000

Other $26,032 $25,524

TOTAl cUrrENT ASSETS $1,226,102 $900,438

NON-CURRENT ASSETS

Plant and Equipment $22,766 $51,641

Database $32,987

TOTAl NON-cUrrENT ASSETS $55,753 $51,641

TOTAL ASSETS $1,281,855 $952,079

CURRENT LIABILITIES

Trade and other payables $19,564 $11,798

Grants received in advance $215,000 $16,930

Provision for annual leave $20,326 $30,738

Provision for Long Service Leave $8,635 $2,335

Provision for GST $13,327 $3,601

Payroll Liabilities $5,388 $13,891

Funds held for UN Women Projects $450,000 $345,000

Other Accruals $13,538 $7,000

CBA Business Credit Card $8,053

TOTAl cUrrENT liABiliTiES $753,831 $431,293

TOTAL LIABILITIES $753,831 $431,293

NET ASSETS $528,024 $520,786

MEMBERS FUNDS

Retained Surplus $528,024 $520,786

TOTAL MEMBERS FUNDS $528,024 $520,786

$10,000,000$12,000,000$14,000,000$16,000,000$18,000,000

NOTE: Amounts are in USD

$9,000,000$8,000,000$7,000,000$6,000,000$5,000,000$4,000,000$3,000,000$2,000,000$1,000,000

$0

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

$447

,000

$621

,000

$1,2

36,0

00

$3,1

10,0

00

$3,6

24,0

00

$5,5

99,0

00

$15.

1 m

illio

n

$16.

2 m

illio

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$9,4

00,0

00

2011

$9,5

00,0

00

$5,7

00,0

00

$6,7

00,0

00

$18.

2 m

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$18.

99 m

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2012

2013

$10,

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$8,2

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$7,9

90,0

00$1

1,00

0,00

0

2013 contribution (currently $XX) Core: 7,990,000Non-Core: 11,000,000


PROFIT AND LOSSINCOME EXPENDITURE

Events and Campaigns

Donations

Membership

Other Income

Sponsorship

Government Grants

Core Contributions

Non-Core Contributions

Note: Amounts are in USD

Organisational Sustainability

UN Women Programs

Cost of Fundraising & Events

Attitudinal Change

Advocacy & Campaigns

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT’S CONTRIBUTION TO UN WOMEN

57%

40%

9%

12%

15% 28% 11%

1%

4%

15%

8%

$948,914

$671,421

$148,609

$198,171

$249,780 $460,465$181,667

$26,094

$59,856

$245,094

$140,000

BOARD MEMBERSDonelle Wheeler, President

Fran Raymond

Virginia Haussegger

Elizabeth Shaw

Jeanette Pastor

Anne Banks-McAllister

Dimity Hodge

Verity Blackman

Kathy Hirschfeld

STAFFJulie McKay, Janelle Weissman, Jacky Sutton, *Maria Catanzariti, *Sadie Davis, Olivia Rothnie-Jones, Stephanie Bambach, Elizabeth Mulhall, *Zerlin Ahmed, Grace Hill, Camille Laker and *Georgia quinn*Denotes staff who finished their service during 2013-14.

SUB-COMMITTEE AND CHAPTER CHAIRS*ADElAiDE cHAPTEr Anuradha Mundkur

ADElAiDE YOUNG UN WOMEN AUSTrAliA cHAPTEr Yasmin Martin

BriSBANE cHAPTEr Helen McAllister

BriSBANE YOUNG UN WOMEN AUSTrAliA cHAPTEr Jemima Edwards

cANBErrA cHAPTEr Lynnere Gray

cANBErrA YOUNG UN WOMEN AUSTrAliA cHAPTEr Jacqueline Juodo-Larsen

DArWiN cHAPTEr Jeanette Pastor

GEElONG cHAPTEr Renee Fiolet

HUNTEr cHAPTEr Belinda Smith

MElBOUrNE cHAPTEr Atika Fraval

MElBOUrNE YOUNG UN WOMEN AUSTrAliA cHAPTEr Natalie Gibbons

PErTH cHAPTEr Kerry Stopher

PErTH YOUNG UN WOMEN AUSTrAliA cHAPTEr Davina Hunter

SYDNEY cHAPTEr Sue Conde

SYDNEY YOUNG UN WOMEN AUSTrAliA cHAPTEr Monique Ross

SYDNEY iWD cOMMiTTEE Tricia Smith *Sub-Committees and Chapters are no longer operational.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY COMMITTEE CHAIRSSYDNEY iWD BrEAKFAST cOMMiTTEE Monique Ross

BriSBANE iWD BrEAKFAST cOMMiTTEE Marsha Strelow

PErTH iWD BrEAKFAST cOMMiTTEE Davina Hunter

ADElAiDE iWD BrEAKFAST cOMMiTTEE Kate Lamb and Meredith Boyle

MElBOUrNE iWD BrEAKFAST cOMMiTTEE Anne Lundberg Barker

cANBErrA iWD lUNcH cOMMiTTEE Lynnere Gray

INTERNS AND VOLUNTEERSThank you to our fantastic interns and volunteers, whose enthusiasm and dedication provides invaluable support to the work of the National Committee.

SPECIAL THANKSPixelJam Design, Kramer Ausenco, Contentgroup, Xibit Printing and Successful Alliances.

Thank youThe work of the National Committee would not be possible without the support of our members and volunteers. In particular we would like to acknowledge the work of the below individuals and their teams.

Interns at the National Committee Head Office in Canberra.


Photo: AMA Jennifer Watson

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