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As International Women’s Day (IWD) approaches on March 8th we can be concerned that despite decades of women’s campaigning for economic and political equality, many issues have not improved for women.

The gender pay gap in Australia is greater now than it was in 1985, according to the Diversity Council of Australia.

Every week in Australia we hear of women murdered by their partner or ex-partner, yet governments cut back on services to address violence against women, when they should be extending them.

This year highlights 20 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, signed by 189 governments. While there have been many achievements since then, many serious problems remain. The Beijing Platform for Action focuses on 12 critical areas of concern, and envisions a world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as participating in politics, getting an education, having an income, and living in societies free from violence and discrimination.

To this end, the theme of this year’s IWD is the UN Women’s Beijing+20 campaign “Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture it!”

See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/international-womens-day?utm_source