MEMBERS OF WOMEN'S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT DECLINE IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR HEALTH SERVICES IN AUSTRALIA

18 July 1997

Press Release
WOM/993

MEMBERS OF WOMEN'S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT DECLINE IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR HEALTH SERVICES IN AUSTRALIA

19970718 Experts Praise Australia's Efforts To Meet Health Needs Of Indigenous Women but Wonder How Decline Will Affect Services

Members of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women this afternoon expressed concern at the decline in federal funding for health services in Australia, as they considered that country's third periodic report on its compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. The Committee's expert members wondered how that decline would affect health services relevant to women. While they praised Australia's efforts to meet the health needs of indigenous women, they noted that there was a lack of information on non-English speaking women in the country's current report, which also failed to provide information on such health indicators as morbidity, mortality and substance abuse. In addition, members criticized Australia's restriction on the import of RU486 and asked why the Government wanted to restrict such a procedure for the termination of pregnancy, which was less intrusive than other means. The experts welcomed the Government's plan to convene a national summit on domestic violence at the end of the year. The 23-member Committee, which is the monitoring body for the Convention, reviews reports of States parties submitted in accordance with article 18 of the Convention. That article requires States to submit reports within one year after accession, and thereafter at least every four years. Such reports are to focus on legislative, judicial and administrative measures adopted by States to give effect to the Convention's provisions. Also this afternoon, the Committee heard a farewell address from Mervat Tallawy, expert from Egypt, who was recently appointed Minister for Social Affairs and Insurance of her country. Ms. Tallawy noted that she had worked in the Committee since its inception in 1982 and had witnessed its evolution. She thanked her colleagues in the Committee as well as Secretariat members for their cooperation. Australia's response to questions which had been submitted by the Committee in advance of today's meeting was presented by the Assistant Secretary in that Government's Office of the Status of Women, Clare Nairn. The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 21 July, to hear the response of Israel to questions posed by experts on that country's initial and second periodic report.

Committee Work Programme

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women met this afternoon to continue its consideration of the third periodic report of Australia on its compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. (For background information, see Press Release WOM/992 of 18 July.)

Response to Questions Submitted by Committee

CLARE NAIRN, Assistant Secretary, Office of the Status of Women, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in Australia continued her response to questions which had been submitted by Committee members to her delegation. She said in 1991, it had been estimated that approximately 1 million Australian adults had literacy problems. Among those were approximately 300,000 adult immigrants who spoke little or no English. Regarding government programmes to encourage women in non-traditional occupations, she said the participation of women in those areas was influenced by role models. It was therefore necessary to encourage universities to be proactive to recruiting women to key academic positions. To that end, a study supported by the Commonwealth Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs was currently under way.

Commenting on the situation of aboriginal women with regard to education, she said between 1991 and 1995 higher education enrolments by indigenous students had increased by 41.6 per cent. However, retention and graduation rates remained significantly lower than for non-indigenous students. In 1995, females made up 62.2 per cent of higher education enrolment among indigenous students. The Government had recently committed an additional $143 million to indigenous education, including $18.5 million for higher education.

Commenting on the concentration of women in certain occupations, she said gender-based occupational segregation was being addressed by the Government through policies to encourage women in non-traditional areas in higher education. So far as wage gaps between men and women were concerned, the 1996 Workplace Relations Act contained a range of provisions specifically addressing that issue. To a question on the provision of maternity leave with pay, she said the Commonwealth Government had introduced a Maternity Allowance, payable from 1 February 1996. In the public sector, the provision of paid maternity leave varied between the Commonwealth and state public sectors. In the private sector, paid maternity leave was generally determined at the enterprise level.

As to whether Australia would remove its reservations to the Convention with respect to paid maternity leave, she said the provision of unpaid parental leave under the Workplace Relations Act and the introduction of

Women's Anti-Discrimination Committee - 3 - Press Release WOM/993 353rd Meeting (PM) 18 July 1997

maternity allowance had removed one of the impediments to compliance. However, several impediments remained, including the requirement for a 12-week period of compulsory leave. However, none of the leave provided under the Act was compulsory, so Australia was not presently in a position to remove its reservation.

She said the question of the health needs of ageing women was one of the seven priority issues identified in the National Women's Health Policy. The Home and Community Care Programme helped 220,000 people at any one time, 69 per cent of whom were female. On abortion, she said that generally speaking, women had access to abortion during the first trimester when a medical practitioner was satisfied that continuation of pregnancy would result in physical or mental harm to them.

With respect to funding for migrant women, she said the Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs had a community grants programme designed to assist migrants and refugees, particularly those newly arrived and of non-English speaking background. In 1995 and 1996, nearly $25 million had been spent on such programmes.

Comments by Experts

Experts acknowledged Australia's leadership at the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women in initiating the "Conference of Commitments" proposal. That concept called upon countries to commit to three or four practical strategies corresponding to their own domestic priorities, to be undertaken by the year 2000. They also welcomed Australia's efforts towards adopting an Optional Protocol to the Convention, and towards removing its reservations on Convention provisions relating to paid maternity leave and non-discrimination against women in the armed forces.

The Government was commended for its record on protecting rights of women and for its initiatives on the issue of violence. The experts particularly welcomed plans to convene a national summit on domestic violence at the end of the year. They also urged the Government to translate the Convention into languages which could be understood by the country's non- English-speaking citizens.

The experts paid tribute to Australia's efforts to implement affirmative programmes in the public sector and urged their extension to cover indigenous people. One expert wanted to know if indigenous women had begun to reap the benefits of the policies directed towards them. Experts also inquired if reductions in funding for legal aid had affected women's access to courts, and whether the effort to sensitize the police and judiciary on women's issues would continue.

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A direct educational effort should be made to keep violence against women from becoming endemic, experts said. What were the penalties imposed on those who perpetrated violence on women? the delegation was asked. It was a matter of concern that nearly 100,000 women in de facto relationships and marriages had experienced violence.

According to reports by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), 40 per cent of Australian men believed that sexual violence was justified if women "acted in a certain way", experts said. Were any attempts being made to educate men? According to non-governmental sources, 89 per cent of women who had brought rape cases to court reported ongoing trauma. That was a matter of concern. In addition, experts wanted to know the procedure for prosecuting Australians who committed crimes abroad, particularly those involving sex with minors.

Concern was also expressed about the decrease in federal funding to health services and their relegation to state level. Experts wondered about how that would affect women and family planning. More information was sought on federal funding for public health services. Experts appreciated the steps taken for indigenous women in the area of health, but noted that there was a lack of information on non-English speaking women.

It was also noted that the entire Australian report had no health indicators on issues such as morbidity, mortality and substance abuse. The restriction on the import of RU486 was also criticized. Why did the Government want to restrict such a procedure for the termination of pregnancy, which was less intrusive than other means? they asked.

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