Accelerating action for women’s equality

International Women’s Day is a day to recognise and celebrate the enormous contribution made by women while advocating for a more equal society.

This year, we’re encouraging our supporters and community to champion this year’s theme, ‘Accelerate Action’, and speed up the rate of progress worldwide for gender equality.

The World Economic Forum estimates that it will take until 2158 (roughly five generations from now) to reach full gender equality with the current rate of progress.

Believe Housing Australia is proud to be a part of AnglicareSA, which has a strong representation of women across all levels of our organisation – more than 70 per cent of employees are female.

We are dedicated to being strong advocates for our colleagues, customers, and community by addressing the biases and barriers that women face both personally and professionally.

Meet two women changing lives and accelerating action for women in their communities.

Reem

As part of her role as a Placemaking and Area Improvement Officer at Believe Housing Australia, Reem aims to create thriving communities where our tenants feel connected, supported, and engaged.

She connects tenants to valuable local resources and opportunities, acting as a bridge to the wider community.

Reem was recently nominated for the City of Marion’s Citizen of the Year Award for her active involvement in her community through volunteering at an ethnic school to teach Arabic to both speakers and non-speakers, as well as helping refugee families settle in South Australia and secure long-term accommodation.

While she ultimately did not win the award, Reem said it was an honour just to be nominated.

“It’s a privilege to contribute to something bigger than myself, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside so many other dedicated individuals who share the same passion,” she said.

Reem said that for her, accelerating action for gender equality means making tangible changes.

“It means taking action, not merely engaging in discussions,” she said.

“What we do matters more than just what we say.

“It requires actively challenging biases, demanding equal opportunities, and empowering women to succeed.

“We can do this by promoting female leadership, implementing inclusive policies, and amplifying women’s voices.”

Jayde

If there’s one thing you should know about proud Wiradjuri woman Jayde, it’s that she loves living and working in her local community.

Working previously in schools and now as a Community Development Worker within AnglicareSA’s Communities for Children Playford program, Jayde has seen first-hand the barriers women and girls, especially those of First Nations background, have experienced.

“A lot of the First Nations women I have met in the working community have had to work a lot harder, for example, to move up other levels in their workplace, either because of discrimination or just a lack of belief in themselves.”

To Jayde, accelerating action for her community means helping to advocate for women and girls and helping them to believe in their own abilities and skills.

“We need to let all women and girls know they’ve got the potential to succeed and can do anything – they can all be leaders in their community.

“When there’s no one advocating for them, they don’t recognise their worth.

“Particularly for First Nations women and girls, having a First Nations role model from their community that they can look up to is so important.

“So many women and girls in our community we’ve supported just needed some guidance and belief in themselves are now doing amazing work, either in their chosen fields, facilitating community programs, or advocating for other women.

“It’s just amazing to see.”

Jayde said that, particularly on days like International Women’s Day, we should recognise the resilience, wisdom, and leadership of First Nations women.

“Without First Nations women in communities, the communities would not thrive at all,” Jayde said.

“There are so many women in the community that are taking on caregiving for their children, grandchildren, and other children in the extended family, and it is up to that one female to hold it together for everyone.

“We have so much compassion and loyalty for our communities and want to build each other up.

“If everyone did that, it would be wonderful for our community.”