Page 8 - Progetta Donna

5 . PREAMBLE BY PROF MARINELLA MARMO
PRESIDENT OF COM.IT.ES. SOUTH AUSTRALIA
This report is a ‘State of the State’: an evaluation of where we stand today on the state of women’s representation in leading roles within the Italo-Australian community in the state of South Australia. This report also offers benchmarking for future evaluation, as we move forward together.
I am grateful to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation for supporting our initiative and pursuing this matter as highly important. Women representation in leadership roles is an investment in the future, as it creates more balanced role models for younger generations, as well as a healthier society. Yet, women remain underrepresented in all key decision-making roles across almost all industries.
In Italy, women Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) are only 3%, against some European Union (EU) peaks of 35%, while women are 47% of all board members and 15% of board chairs.1 In Australia, the situation is not dissimilar. Latest data suggest women are only 22.3% of all CEOs, 35.1% of all key management positions, 34% of all board members, and 18% of all board chairs.2 When we see more sophisticated data that intersect gender, race, and migratory status, these figures are even more shocking in Australia. Indeed, a recent study pointed out: ‘while there are limited women in senior leadership positions to act as role models, there are considerably fewer women from diverse backgrounds’.3
Based on this, in 2022 the Federal Government launched a ‘National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality’. As part of the strategy, a data collection has taken place. We wish this report to form part of formal submissions to such inquiries, to have a tangible impact in our society.
To this end, this report aims to inform the current status of women in leading roles within the Italo-South Australian community. Measuring the current status is of vital importance to set targets for our future. Having quantifiable data provides an accurate baseline that can lead to setting up realistic benchmarks for the future. For example, only 14% of Italian women in SA have received the honorific title of ‘Cavaliere della Repubblica Italiana’ (Figure 1), and, according to our database of all Italian organisations in SA, only 27% are led by a woman (Figure 7).
A cultural-systemic change is needed to become more inclusive. This ‘state of the state’ piece, the report and the whole ‘Progetto Donna’ initiative are part of this change. We can aspire to be better: recognising our women more for their talent and contributions and having a greater representation of women in positions of leadership within our community will inspire our younger generations of girls and young women.
We can set a different trajectory for our future. And when we look back five years from now, we can all say: we did it! Come on board and let’s create a legacy together.
1 ANSA, Gender gap, ancora molto lontani dalla parità di genere in Italia, le donne Ceo sono solo il 3% e in Europa solo il 7%, 2022, https://www.ansa. it/canale_lifestyle/notizie/societa_diritti/2022/01/20/gender-gap-ancora-molto-lontani-dalla-parita-di-genere-in-italia-le-donne-ceo-sono-solo-il- 3-e-in-europa-solo-il-7-_2509dc04-1a89-4554-a1dd-1606ba27f188.html#
2 WGEA (Workplace Gender Equality Agency) Australia’s gender equality scorecard 2021-22, Sydney, December 2022.
3 Skouteris H, Ananda-Rajah M, Blewitt C, et al ‘No one can actually see us in positions of power’: the intersectionality between gender and culture for women in leadership. BMJ Leader, 2023, p 2, [my bold].
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