MODEL UNITED NATIONS

POSITION PAPER

COUNTRY: Commonwealth of Australia

COMMITTEE: UNWOMEN

AGENDA: Ending Violence Against Women and Girls

SUB AGENDA: Focusing Women Leadership in Politics and Business

Name of Delegate: Hardik Shrestha

1. Overview of The Issue:

There are several topical problems in need of worldwide focus, including the elimination of
gender and utilizing women and girls’ potential in political and business spheres. While there has
been much improvement in the legal status of women and their rights; women abuse is still a
major issue that cuts across all societies and can come in different forms like the docket of
domestic violence, sexual harassment and smuggling of people mostly in the female sex. This
violence not only leads to substantial individual loss and injury but also limits women’s effective
engagement in the social and economic life of a country and their specific contributions to
improvement.

As for its counterpart, women’s leadership in politics and business is crucial when aiming at
building diversified societies free from discriminations. Unavailable and underrepresented for
women, the gap between employees and managers, and even more so for women in top decision-
making roles, persists. It stifles the field of vision of various leadership positions and, therefore,
hampers the achievement of such missions as sustainable development. In particular, the case of
women’s leadership is not only an issue of equity but more importantly, the realization that it
brings beneficial change to productivity and business.
2. Position of Country:
The Commonwealth of Australia is committed to advancing gender equality and ending violence
against women and girls. Australia also acknowledges gender based violence as a human rights
issue and a major hindrance towards achieving the goal of gender equality. The country has
ensured that elaborate measures and legal provisions in fighting and handling cases of domestic
violence, sexual harassment and other related gender based violence. For instance, National Plan
to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022- It is a long-term strategic
plan of 12 years envisioning bringing all the governments, communities, and organizations
together to fight against violence on women. Also, the Respect@Work Report (2020) has laid
out a guide on how to stop and deal with workplace sexual harassment. Also, there are
substantial allocations for victim services which include shelter, counselling centres, and help
lines for domestic, family violence victims.

Australia also actively promotes women’s political rights and representation in political positions
as well as in the business world. More women are occupying leadership positions in the country
this is in government and even in the corporate world. However, an extension of this notion is
that Australia recognizes that there is still much work to be done with respect to promoting
women’s rights and attaining parity. By educating women on how to compete for leadership
positions, providing female mentors and passing policies which respect family values the
government boosts women’s chances to take and perform higher responsibilities. For instance,
the gender quotas for directors in public companies have been established by the Australian
Government as part of certain Australian Boards’ diversity such as the AICD’s 30% Club whose
mission is to see boards of the ASX200 firms comprise 30% women. Moreover, various
leadership programs, such as the Women’s Leadership and Development Program, provide
funding for projects that improve outcomes for women in business and community leadership. In
politics, measures to support women include gender quotas within political parties and training
programs for aspiring female politicians, contributing to increased female representation in the
Parliament of Australia.

3. Proposals:
Strengthening International Collaboration: Australia proposes enhanced international
collaboration to share best practices and resources for combating violence against women and
girls. This includes supporting global initiatives that provide funding and technical assistance to
countries with high rates of gender-based violence.

Legal and Policy Reforms: Australia recommends the implementation of stringent legal and
policy reforms across UN member states to address violence against women. This includes the
enforcement of laws that protect women’s rights, the establishment of special courts for gender-
based violence cases, and mandatory training for law enforcement officials on handling such
cases sensitively.

Promoting Women's Economic Empowerment: To support women’s leadership in business,

Australia suggests the creation of international platforms that connect female entrepreneurs with
investors and markets. Additionally, implementing policies that ensure equal pay for equal work
and providing grants and subsidies for women-led businesses are essential steps.
Education and Advocacy: Australia emphasizes the importance of education and advocacy in
changing societal attitudes towards gender roles. This involves integrating gender studies into
school curriculums, conducting public awareness campaigns, and encouraging media to portray
positive images of women leaders.

Support for Women in Politics: Australia advocates for measures that promote women's
participation in politics, such as gender quotas in political parties, funding for women candidates,
and leadership training programs. These initiatives can help overcome the barriers that women
face in entering and succeeding in political careers.

4. Bibliography:

 Australian Government, Department of Social Services. (2023). National Plan to Reduce

Violence against Women and their Children
 UN Women. (2022). Global Database on Violence against Women
 World Economic Forum. (2023). Global Gender Gap Report
 Australian Human Rights Commission. (2023). Women in Leadership
 International Labour Organization. (2023). Women in Business and Management: The
Business Case for Change