Press Statement No. 197
7 March 1974
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
International Women' s Day will be observed tomorrow.
It is an appropriate time for me to draw attention to the need
for continued efforts to remove discrimination against women.
It is a fundamental objective of the Government to ensure
respect for civil liberties and human rights and for that reason
the Government is committed to the promotion of ecsual rights
for women. Since coming to office, the Government has removed
discriminatory provisions against women employed in the Australian
Public Service and has extended eligibility for social security
benefits to many women formerly excluded on various discriminatory
grounds. The appointment of an adviser on women's affairs to my staff
also reflected the importance which the Government attaches to the
improvement of the status of women in Australia.
The Government is seeking the extension of the minimum
wage to adult female employees in the National Wage Case presently
before the Arbitration Commission.
I welcome the United Nations decision to designate 1975 as
International Women's Year in order to encourage equality of
opportunity for women and improve their status throughout the world.
The Government is preparing an official program for International
Women's Year. I pay tribute to the work of women's groups throughout
Australia in seeking to use * International Women's Day and International
Women's Year to draw attention to the achievement of women and the
need to raise their status of women in the community. / 2
2
The Government will ratify the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as well as the U. N.
Convention on the Political Rights of Women as soon as enabling
legislation has been passed. Ratification of these legal
instruments will be an important contribution to the enforcement
of human rights in Australia, including the rights of women.
Australia's ratification of the International Labour Organisation
Convention III on Discrimination ( Employment and Occupation) in
June 1973 highlighted the Government's adoption of a national
policy to eliminate discrimination in employment and occupation.
Committees have been established, in accordance with the Convention,
to work for the ending of all such discrimination. A community
education campaign will be launched soon to dramatize discriminatory
attitudes and practices in Australia. This action, while seeking
to ensure equality of opportunity in employment for d ll, wi-_]
be of special significance to women in the workforce.
C ANBERRA. A. C. T.