Dear Friend,

As we approach International Women’s Day 2023 I am encouraged by the momentum I see in philanthropy, corporate and government, with more intentional consideration of women and girls and the impact of funding decisions on gender equality.

Increasingly, Federal Government (and some State’s) policies and budgets are being developed and analysed through a gender lens and we are also seeing progress in corporate giving.  According to Champions of Change Coalition’s recent 2022 Impact report, almost half of their members have applied a gender lens to their giving, or are planning to do so this year. And AIIW is being approached more often by large philanthropic donors to help them with their gender lens funding. This is good news for women and society more broadly.

At the same time there is disheartening evidence of the long road we are on and the backlash that inevitably follows progress. Noteworthy, as one of many examples, is the response to a video released by Stephanie Copus-Campbell, Australia’s new Ambassador for Gender Equality, on her role and priority areas of focus. As noted in the recent Women’s Agenda article, it serves as a stark reminder of how far we still have to go.

It’s important to remember that the progress we have made has not happened by accident. It’s the result of many years of effort, advocacy and action by many different groups around the country who have fought to ensure women’s voices are heard in our parliaments, board rooms, community organisations and in the media; everywhere policy and funding decisions are influenced and made.

We’re proud of the role that AIIW plays in encouraging a focus on women in philanthropic decisions and connecting funders to impactful projects that deliver greater gender equality and are pleased to share with you our Annual Report for 2022. We will continue our evidence-based advocacy and education on the importance of a gender lens on philanthropy and social investment and have big plans for 2023 including:

• Leveraging the interest and engagement in our research reports on women’s housing, and on gender norms, to help funders move from interest and intention into action, collectively where possible;
• Rolling out our State of Gender-wise Survey in Australia which we have piloted and refined;
• Working with the University of Melbourne’s Social Equity Institute (MSEI) to develop a new framework for Gender-wise philanthropic partnerships;
• Releasing further research to support and inform effective Gender-wise philanthropy
• Launching our Amplify Toolkit to provide our philanthropic community with facts, statistics, and messaging to amplify AIIW’s voice in the social sector.

Thanks for being part of the movement and, as we wish you Happy International Women’s Day, we invite you to read on and commit to taking action to empower your giving for a fairer future.

Read the full newsletter

With sincere thanks and warm regards,
Julie