The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and Outcomes for Australian Women

NFAW, in association with Security 4 Women and the WomenSpeak Alliance, coordinated a project to assess the gender implications for Australian women and girls of the GFC.

The first scoping phase hs been completed with tinancial support for this phase has been provided by Security for Women, with in-kind support from WomenSpeak.

The final report may be viewed here.

Dr Merridahl Andrew (ANU) has completed a survey of gender-sensitive responses to the global downturn in Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom & United States of America.

NFAW Director Jacqueline Woodman is preparing a note on the impacts on indigenous women- Jacqueline has a background in development economics.

Work has been commissioned from The Australia Institute to analyse the likely impact of the GFC on the labour market outcomes of women, the value of financial assets held by women and the need for new vocational education and training policies.

The final report to the three sponsoring organisations will be prepared by NFAW Social Policy Chair Marie Coleman, with suggestions as to the scope and objectives of the main phase of the project, which will, we hope, be able to commence in July-August ( depending on the availability of funds).

We have sought a grant from the Office for Women to assist with a re-development of the NFAW web-site especially to progress this work and further our work on Women and Retirement Incomes, and the gender implications of current tax policy settings.

In the second phase we hope to work collaboratively with additional groups, with whom we are currently in discussion, but final agreements have not yet been reached.

Separately, research is being done by other groups concerned with gender analysis, on the actual direct job-losses being experienced by women and girls.