Presented at the Australian Women Speak Conference Commonwealth Office of the Status for Women, 28 August 2001

Associate Professor Wendy Weeks begins by listing the dramatic and considerable achievements by women in the twentieth century which have demonstrably culminated in a shift in women's public leadership in Australia.  Despite this, women's leadership, she says, continues to be measured in "androcentric terms," using men as examples, assuming that there will be one leader. What has been overlooked are the more typical ways in which women lead.

"Women's active tradition of leadership in families and communities, doing caring and servicing work, and organising community schools and other organisations" has been "about power 'for' and 'with', in contrast to 'power over' others, or domination."  "Second, there is a tradition of women's leadership which is more actively political, and shows women's apparent commitment to collectivity and to democratisation."

"If the last century was about women entering public leadership, then what are the challenges ahead if women are to maintain and continue active citizenship?" asks Weeks.  She focuses on two major challenges.

The first is a "restructuring of public life and work" so that women do not have to "fit in to workplace environments and practices designed by and for men" or "engage in gender and sexuality management, being careful to blend in" or "make a choice between children and a career, something which men have not had to consider. It must be young women's right to have families as well as careers in the future, and to achieve this requires a restructuring of public life and work to take account of family lives."

The second major challenge ahead is to diversify and democratise women's leadership so that leadership is not only for "able-bodied white women from the middle and upper-middle classes but also for "indigenous women, women from minority ethnic communities, women with disabilities, single parent women." Weeks concludes, "Unless we achieve this we will see increasing differences between social classes of women, which will be less than democratic." 

To view Associate Professor Wendy Weeks' speech see:  Women's Leadership in Public Life

 Federal Race Discrimination Commissioner Dr William Jonas recently released a summary of six months of Australia-wide consultations on racism. 'I want Respect and Equality' reveals that racism and racial discrimination are still part of the everyday experience of some Australians.

This summary reports on the outcomes of national civil society consultations on racism conducted by the Acting Race Discrimination Commissioner and his staff from May to August 2001. In its list of recommendations are those pertaining to how the causes of racism, the victims of racism, prevention and protection, legislation and Australia's international role and obligation in which it states:

26. The Federal government ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. 

27. The Federal government encourage nations that have not yet done so to ratify or accede to international human rights treaties and their optional protocols, particularly the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

28. The Federal government remove Australia's reservation to article 4 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination requiring the dissemination of ideas based on racial superiority or hatred to be outlawed.

29. The Federal government positively contribute to the finalisation of the Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples through full recognition of the rights of Indigenous peoples (including those of self-determination) and implement the principles of the declaration in domestic legislation.

To view the National Racism Consultations Summary see: 'I Want Respect and Equality' 

American academic Tom Atlee provides us with 26 ways to make a community stronger, wiser and more resilient, sustainable and engaged. There are hundreds of other approaches, and these give a useful tool to gauge vibrance and connectivity in a community.

Asset Mapping, Friendship Webs, Neighbourhood Email and a Fishbowl Process are some of the interesting ways presented.

To view this article, see: 

Ways to make a Community Stronger, Wiser, More Resilient and Engaged

A new report examines the way non-profit agencies assist clients with legal problems. Gateways to the Law was initiated by the Law and Justice Foundation of NSW, which seeks to improve access to justice, particularly for socially and economically disadvantaged people.

The Foundation undertook the project because it recognised the high level of legal need in the community and the vital role that non-profit agencies play in providing preliminary assistance to meet this need, especially to socially and economically disadvantaged members of the community.

The aim of Gateways to the Law is to highlight different factors and issues that affect practice and service delivery of these non-profit agencies, and to draw out the implications these may have for current policy initiatives. Agencies that participated in the study include Chamber Magistrates, community legal centres, legal aid offices, and government access centres.

Copies of Gateways to the Law are available for $20.00 (including GST and postage and handling) from the Law and Justice Foundation of NSW. Please call Tel: (02) 9221 3900 or Email: emma@lawfoundation.net.au  to order copies.

If you would like to discuss the issues raised in the project, please contact Sue Scott, Law and Justice Foundation Tel: (02) 9221 3900 or Email: sscott@lawfoundation.net.au