Australians are split. Half think women in Australia today are treated fairly and have access to equal opportunities, half say we still have work to do.
Plan International Australia has today released groundbreaking new research, Gender Compass, revealing Australians changing attitudes on gender equality.
Gender Compass, a first-of-its-kind project, surveys diverse Australian community members aged 16+ on their attitudes and beliefs around gender equality and segments them into six groups. The six segments featured in Gender Compass include: Trailblazer (19%); Hopeful (24%); Moderate (23%); Conflicted (12%); Indifferent (6%) and Rejector (17%)*.
This wave of research surveyed 2,048 Australians and highlights strong community support and positive views toward a gender-equal society. It also reveals that 1 in 2 Australians believe that women are treated fairly in most areas of life and have access to the same choices and opportunities as men, showing that there is still significant progress to be made in achieving gender equality for all.
Plan International Australia chief executive, Susanne Legena, said that the findings highlight a concerning gap between perception and reality when it comes to gender equality in Australia.
"While 60% of people believe we are close to or have already achieved gender equality, real-world data on the gender pay gap, workplace discrimination and underrepresentation of women in leadership tell a different story," Ms Legena said.
"The fact that 50% of Australians believe women are treated fairly in most areas of life ignores persistent challenges such as unpaid labour disparities, gender-based violence on our streets and in our homes and systemic barriers in career advancement."
Gender Compass is fully funded and supported by Minderoo Foundation, Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation, Snow Foundation, Equity Trustees, Trawalla Foundation, Australians Investing in Women, and Red Rocketship Foundation.
A number of key findings signal progress and hope:
- 90% of Australians say gender equality is important to them personally.
- 90% of Australians agree we should treat every person with equal respect and dignity no matter their gender.
- 80% believe women having the same rights, opportunities and outcomes as men has benefits.
- On average, 80% of Australians agree with solutions aimed at addressing gender inequality.
- 75% of Australians are open to discussing gender equality and related topics at work.
- 62% agree men have more opportunity than women to earn the main household income.
- 62% believe everyone will benefit if Australia reaches a point where women have access to the same rights, opportunities and outcomes as men.
Yet many findings indicate we still have a long way to go:
- 47% of Australians believe that women are treated fairly in most areas of life and have access to the same choices and opportunities as men in Australia today.
- 50% believe women in Australia are treated fairly in most areas of life and have access to the same choices and opportunities as men.
- 63% of Australians believe we are close to achieving or have already achieved women having the same rights, opportunities and outcomes as men.
- 30% of Australians think there is a war on men.
- Only 58% support transgender and non-binary people having the same rights, opportunities and outcomes as cisgender people.
- 26% say equality doesn't make sense given basic biological differences.
These findings suggest that while progress has been made, there is still a long way to go in truly achieving equal rights, opportunities and outcomes for women.
Ms Legena said, "We now find ourselves at a pivotal moment in time, where backlash against gender equality, cuts to global aid, escalating humanitarian crises, and political and economic instability are rolling back decades of hard-won progress.
"From limits on reproductive rights to restrictions on education and growing gender-based violence, these shifts are not just happening in far-off countries—they are reaching our own shores. In Australia, we're seeing rising rhetoric against diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and a growing resistance to the notion of gender equality as a fundamental human right.
"That is why we must continue to push forward towards a gender equal future. Gender Compass is a call to action for all of us—to engage, to listen, and to act with empathy and determination. The world needs us to be united in this effort."
This research shows there is a huge opportunity to speak to all people about gender equality, despite the range of views, in an effective and inclusive way. Plan International will be launching a messaging guide, informed by this research, as a tool to support leaders and organisations in effectively communicating about gender equality.
Lead researcher Dr Rebecca Huntley said:
"Our research confirms the effectiveness of messaging principles based on commonly held values expressed in accessible language. This, coupled with everyday examples of the impact on people of all genders in a range of settings make the problem recognisable and relevant, points the way forward for a more productive and impactful discussion about gender equality.
"Phase Two of Gender Compass shows leaders and organisations how to energise the Trailblazers and avoid polarising the Rejectors. But it also, most critically, shows how we can engage the 'moveable middle' and bring more people into the conversation about gender equality, despite the political and social challenges of the moment."
