Goal #5

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 5 Gender Equality

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

UNSW is committed to gender equality and demonstrates this through:

  • Cross-collaborative, globally-leading research targeted at preventing gendered violence and promoting human rights
  • Gender equality in our education and teaching and a suite of women's mentoring and pre-university programs
  • Being an equal opportunity employer including our commitment to Athena SWAN
  • Partnerships that champion gender equity and human rights

Essential to creating a better, fairer and more sustainable world.

A 2019 discussion paper from the UN Development Programme marks SDG #5 as an accelerator for achieving many of the other SDGs. Sadly, in many countries, many people think gender equality has progressed as far as it possibly can and that sexual harassment and discrimination are just part of human nature. From these views it’s clear we have not made as much progress as we think. Gender equality still requires action everywhere regardless of wealth, culture or religion so every country can continue to improve the lives of women and girls.   

 

In this video, Professor Eileen Baldry and Professor Leisa Sargent break down some of the key challenges behind SDG #5.

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Athena Swan Cygnet Award & Decadal Plan Champion

UNSW is one of 45 institutions participating in the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) Athena SWAN program. We have a commitment to advancing all women students in STEMM through SAGE Athena SWAN and other gender equity programs.

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42%

female co-founders of UNSW startups (as at September 2022)
 

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Speaking out with Grace Tame

In March 2022, Grace Tame joined UNSW academics Kyllie Cripps, Michael Salter and Emma A. Jane for this UNSW Centre for Ideas panel discussion on the catalytic power of collective women’s voices, achieving better education on sexual abuse and Grace's aspirations to continue to hold those in power to account.

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Jennifer Robinson and Keina Yoshida: How Many More Women?

Hear Jennifer Robinson and Keina Yoshida live in-conversation with Jane Caro for a powerful and accessible exploration of our legal systems - as they break open the big judgments, developments and trends that have and continue to silence and disadvantage women. 

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Women in Research Network

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UNSW's leading forum for research-active women to connect and collaborate to build an equitable and inclusive research culture at UNSW.

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UNSW Women's Collective

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An autonomous intersectional-feminist collective focused on activism, education and community organisation.

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Women’s Wellbeing Academy

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Five projects were awarded funding from the 2022 WWBA Small Grants Program. 

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Career Advancement Fund

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Funding is available for women academics to re-establish and advance their careers following parental or adoption leave. 

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Gendered Violence

UNSW seeks to prevent and respond to gendered violence in the UNSW community by implementing the UNSW Stop. Empower. Support. Strategy and Action Plan 2022-2025
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The Gendered Violence Research Network


The Gendered Violence Research Network (GVRN) is a joint initiative of UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture and UNSW Law & Justice. Our network unites UNSW’s significant domestic and international research expertise to respond, prevent and end gendered violence in Australia and beyond. GVRN is at the forefront of developing solutions to prevent gendered violence – one of the most prevalent human rights violations affecting our world today. 
 

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Tackling economic and financial abuse linked to domestic and family violence

A partnership between UNSW’s Gendered Violence Research Network and Commonwealth Bank is raising awareness around groups at greater risk of economic and financial abuse.

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UNSW Strategy in Action 2025

The UNSW Strategy in Action 2025 commits to ensuring equity in staff recruitment, development, retention and promotion, particularly ensuring no disadvantage on the basis of gender, cultural background, disability or Indigenous origin. This includes a commitment to providing outstanding support and development opportunities for all who work and study at UNSW as well as promoting these values in our external interactions.

50%

of female professional staff at level 10 and above by 2025

40%

of female academic staff at levels D & E by 2025

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UNSW 2025 Strategy Update 

This document celebrates the key achievements of the first phase of the 2025 Strategy, highlighting where we have come from and where we are now. It also updates the framework against which we will assess, track and measure existing and new strategic initiatives over the next five years.

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Sexual Misconduct Annual Report 

UNSW launched a Sexual Misconduct Strategy (2019-2021) to provide a clear framework for the University to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct. In 2022, published its third annual report on the prevention of and response to sexual misconduct at UNSW.

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UNSW Institute for Global Development logo

The UNSW Institute for Global Development is underpinned by a commitment to enhancing social justice and inclusion through empowering individuals and their communities. They are currently leading a project on 'just transitions' and its intersection with gender. This work will explore what justice and gender inclusion look like from a multi-disciplinary lens to bridge the gap of gender inequality.

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Gender studies

Photo of people rallying in the street at Women's March 2019, Kuala Lumpur by Michelle Ding on Unsplash.

Gender studies at UNSW is a vibrant, cross-disciplinary area of study that situates women, feminism, gender, sex and sexualities at the centre of academic analysis. Scholars teach and research across a wide span of areas, including world history, human rights, sex and desire, women’s writing, Asian cultures, and queer and gender theory.

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An initiative of the Women’s Leadership Institute Australia, Champions of Change Coalition, and Chief Executive Women that aims to increase the visibility and contribution of women leaders in public and professional forums.

The program supports academic women, including sessional staff and post-graduate students, with current or recent carer responsibilities to develop their careers and address the disadvantages many have experienced due to COVID-19. 

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UNSW Sustainable Development Goals 2022 Report


This report outlines UNSW's performance against the SDGs in 2022.


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