Senator MOORE (Queensland) (12:11): I, and also on behalf of Senator Cash and Senator Waters, move:
That the Senate-
(a) notes that:
(i) 8 March is International Women's Day (IWD), and that the theme for IWD 2016 is 'Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality',
(ii) International Women's Day is a time to celebrate acts of courage and determination by women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities to achieve gender equality, and
(iii) 2016 marks 40 years since Australia appointed its first Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Women's Affairs;
(b) acknowledges:
(i) the work that UN Women, the United Nations (UN) organisation dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, undertakes to improve the conditions of women, both domestically and internationally,
(ii) that, despite the many rights and privileges Australian women enjoy, there remain challenges that we must strive to overcome, and
(iii) that all women have the right to be safe and live without fear of violence, and women's safety must therefore remain at the forefront of Australia's national consciousness; and
(c) recognises:
(i) that in Australia, violence against women is still far too common, with Australian Bureau of Statistics data revealing that one in four women has experienced violence at the hands of a current or former partner, and
(ii) that Australians have an obligation to speak out and protect the human rights of women, both in Australia and overseas.
Question agreed to.
