Australia rated 19th for women’s rights in business and the law- World Bank

With all the doom and gloom that comes with relationship breakdown, it is refreshing to do a reality check- and compare how women are treated under the law in Australia, compared to overseas. Every two years the World Bank carries out a survey on Women, Business and the Law. I have been privileged to take… Read More »Custom Single Post Header

Family Law Section Law Council of Australia Award
Member of Queensland law society
Family law Practitioners Association
International Academy of Family Lawyers - IAFL
Mediator Standards Board

Australia rated 19th for women’s rights in business and the law- World Bank

With all the doom and gloom that comes with relationship breakdown, it is refreshing to do a reality check- and compare how women are treated under the law in Australia, compared to overseas.

Every two years the World Bank carries out a survey on Women, Business and the Law. I have been privileged to take part in the survey now three times, and am recognised by the World Bank as a local expert.

With all the challenges that exist under the law to ensure that men and women are equal, overall, Australia is doing well internationally. The World Bank has rated Australia equal 19th (with Hungary) after:

  • Belgium
  • Canada
  • Denmark
  • France
  • Iceland
  • Latvia
  • Luxembourg
  • Sweden
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Netherlands
  • Portugal
  • Spain
  •  UK

The worst performing country was West Bank and Gaza on 26.3, just behind Yemen on 26.9, Sudan on 29.4 and Iran on 31.3. The USA by comparison rated 91.3, along with Albania, Cyprus and Taiwan.

Out of 100, Australia rates 96.9. Australia rates 100 for:

  • mobility
  • workplace
  • pay
  • marriage
  • parenthood
  • entrepreneurship
  • assets.

Australia rates 75 for pension.

It is shocking that:

Australia is one of the countries where there can be different retirement ages between men and women.

Things to Read, Watch & Listen

Forced Marriage

On November 1st 2023, Accredited Family Law Specialist and Page Provan Director Stephen Page presented a paper at the Brisbane Zonta Club about forced marriage. I acknowledge the Jagera and Turrbal peoples, on whose lands we meet today, their elders, past, present and emerging. Ruqia Hidari was aged 21 and living in Victoria, when, according to police,… Read More »Forced Marriage

ACT Government Surrogacy Bill

The ACT Government has today introduced a bill to amend the ACT’s surrogacy laws. The proposed changes are more incremental than fundamental. They include allowing a single person to undertake surrogacy, for the surrogate to be single if needed, a requirement for legal advice and counselling beforehand, a written agreement being required, that traditional surrogacy is… Read More »ACT Government Surrogacy Bill

Planning to resolve: ADR in ART

ADR can help resolve disputes in ART cases. ADR is not limited to mediation and arbitration. Other types of informal dispute resolution can resolve disputes. When assisted reproductive treatment cases go off the rails, they can have the next level of bitterness and volatility. There can be a keen sense of betrayal when things don’t… Read More »Planning to resolve: ADR in ART