Page 479 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 21 March 2023

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Women—menstruation and menopause

MS ORR (Yerrabi) (4.17): I move:

That this Assembly:

(1) notes that:

(a) 8 March was the United Nations endorsed International Women’s Day;

(b) the purpose of the day is to uphold women’s achievements, recognise challenges, and focus greater attention on women’s rights and equality; and

(2) further notes:

(a) that significant shame and stigma surround women’s reproductive health;

(b) that this shame and stigma creates a culture of taboo and has stifled discussions and understanding of women’s reproductive health needs;

(c) through the ACT Women’s Plan 2016-26, the ACT Government is committed to supporting and removing barriers to enable women and girls to reach their potential, contribute to innovation and ideas and to take up leadership positions ensuring full participation of women and girls in all aspects of society;

(d) in addition to the Women’s Plan, ACT Labor is supporting the full participation of women in society through the Period Products and Facilities (Access) Bill 2022 which is currently before the Assembly, and through the commitment to develop a menstruation and menopause policy for the ACT Public Service;

(e) other advancements, such as hormone therapy treatments now being available through chemists, contribute to the broader body of work to destigmatise and respond to the reproductive health needs of women in a way that is easily accessible; and

(f) however, there still remains many ways to better support women and areas of reform that can be undertaken; and

(3) calls on the Minister for Women to report to the Legislative Assembly, no later than the second last sitting period of 2023, on the supports the ACT Government provides to support people who are menstruating or experiencing menopause.

This sitting is the first to be held since the anniversary of the first United Nations-endorsed International Women’s Day on 8 March. The purpose of marking this day is to ensure that we continue to uphold women’s achievements, recognise challenges and maintain a greater focus on women’s rights and equality.

At some point this week, I am hoping to speak more on this day and its historical implications for both this place and the feminist movement more generally. Today,

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