Deputy Secretary – Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia), Penny Williams discusses highlights from the recent Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) session in Durban, which pragmatically addressed aspects like security, stability, sustainable development, prosperity and women’s empowerment in the region. We discuss the complexities surrounding gender equality in different regions around the world, acknowledging that although it is a multifaceted issue, cultural reform and education are two leading drivers for positive change. Ms Williams shares a few practical interventions that are improving gender equality and women’s empowerment, such as ‘Male Champions of Change’; men actively sponsoring women and nominating them for roles; not succumbing to the trap of presenteeism; and the passive physical inclusion of women in the work environments reflected in boardrooms named after women or photographs of female personnel. PENNY WILLAMS DR A GONEOS-MALKA – SMALL.JPG — JPG (3.8 MB)

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