Gender equity
Gender equity is when people of all genders have equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities. Everyone is affected by gender inequity - women, men, trans and gender diverse people, children and families. It impacts people of all ages and backgrounds.
At the Library we want women and gender diverse people to feel safe, equal and free to be themselves as they access our services and visit our spaces. People of all gender identities and expressions are welcome in our workplace.
Our Gender Equality Action Plan details ongoing actions that continue our commitment to equity for all genders.
Vision for gender equality
State Library Victoria aspires to be a voice for gender equity in the wider community, an industry leader in inclusive practice, and to be known for our safe and inclusive workplace and diverse workforce. Through our Gender Equality Action Plan 2021–2025, we hope to amplify and elevate the voices of Victorians of all genders.
Gender equality action plan progress
The Library submitted its Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) 2021–2025 Progress Report to the Commission on Gender Equality in the Public Sector. The report details progress on our Gender Impact Assessments (GIA), GEAP actions, and Workplace Gender Indicators informed by data from the workplace gender audit and employee data.
Gender impact assessments
During the reporting period, six Gender Impact Assessments were completed that evaluated the Library’s policies, programs, and initiatives for any public impact on gender equity.
Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) action status
State Library Victoria aspires to be a voice for gender equality in the community, an industry leader in inclusive practice and known for our safe and inclusive workplace. Through our 2021-2025 GEAP, we continue to take meaningful action with an intersectional approach.
The Library has made significant progress on the actions outlines in the GEAP, with many initiatives already complete and others underway.
Some of the key actions contributing to this progress include:
- Our workplace initiatives such as establishing a dedicated expressing room for employees returning from parental leave, updating our style guide for inclusive language, improving our data collection, reviewing our recruitment practices, and providing accessible information for employees.
- Our collections included new acquisitions such as Women’s Studies Archives and print and eBooks on diversity, equity, and inclusion and LGBTIQ+. Ten per cent of our original and rare material budget was allocated to underrepresented voices, including women and LGBTIQ+ people in 2023-24 and the Women Writers Fund (est. 2021) continues to support acquisitions of works by women writers.
- Our public-facing exhibitions, events and programs include gender impact assessments that are embedded into our planning. We celebrate women and trans and gender-diverse people by participating in and supporting annual events such as Women’s History Month.
- Our partnerships support gender-diverse programming including The Stella Prize, Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, and Midsumma Festival.
- In 2023, 64% of our Library Fellowships were awarded to women, with ongoing efforts to increase representation of trans and gender-diverse people, and in the same year 75% of speakers at our StartSpace Future Founders Festival were women or gender-diverse people.
For a full list of our GEAP actions, visit the Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector Insights Portal, Plans and Progress reports and search for State Library Victoria.
Workplace gender equality indicators
In December 2024, the Commission on Gender Equality in the Public Sector published workforce gender equality data, based on submissions from around 300 public organisations.
The Library was assessed as compliant with the Commission’s standards and the data showed positive progress alongside opportunities for further growth.
We look forward to continuing to work with the Commission to improve workplace gender equality for staff, volunteers and visitors to the Library.
View the Library’s progress report for the period 30 June 2022 to 1 July 2023 by visiting the Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector and searching for State Library Victoria.
