Gender Equality Symposium at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
The Australian Government’s Gender Equality Symposium took place in Brisbane in July 2023, on the sidelines of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™.
The two-day symposium was co-hosted by Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher, Minister for Women, and the Hon Anika Wells MP, Minister for Sport. The purpose was to demonstrate to the world, Australia’s commitment to gender equality, inclusive of women’s participation and leadership.
Events included a panel discussion, reverse mentoring workshop, and a ‘kick around’ with the former Afghan Women’s National team. For this, Foreign Minister Penny Wong joined other international leaders to send a strong message about the power of sport to bring people and countries closer together.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong greets the Afghan women’s football team.
Image: Foreign Affairs and Trade
Working together
The Symposium was an Australian Government-led program involving political leaders and athletes, as well as industry, academic, cultural and community representatives.
International representatives gathered from across the world, including from the United States, Fiji, Jamaica, Japan, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, United Kingdom and Vanuatu. FIFA also provided invaluable support.
A Foreign Affairs and Trade Taskforce collaborated with multiple government agencies to plan and deliver the symposium. This included the Office for Sport within Health and Aged Care, Office for Women within Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australian Border Force, Defence, and the National Indigenous Australians Agency.
In addition to the traditional owners of the land on which the symposium was held, the Turrbal and the Yugara people, Australian sporting and community representatives included Football Australia, Swimming Australia, Cricket Australia, United Nations Women Australia, Health and Wellbeing Queensland, and Griffith University.
Benefits for the community
The symposium promoted the national and global importance of gender equality, for both individual and collective wellbeing. This message was amplified through Australia’s overseas diplomatic network through traditional and social media.
A reverse mentoring workshop was delivered in partnership with the Sports Diplomacy Alliance. Senior leaders joined the diverse group of athletes and para-athletes from Australia and the Pacific region, to hear their ideas on how to address the challenges women and girls face in sport.
Participants from different sectors shared insightful contributions on the relevance of gender equality, diversity and inclusion to sport, to communities and broader national interests linked to peace and prosperity.=
Find out more
Minister for Foreign Affairs (2023) Global leaders unite for Gender Equality, Foreign Minister’s website, accessed 6 September 2024.
Sports Diplomacy Alliance (2023) FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 – Reverse Mentoring Workshop & Gender Equality Symposium, Sports Diplomacy Alliance website, accessed 6 September 2024.