First Nations women in governance

Welcome to another edition of ‘Tips from the Toolkit’, where we share valuable tips and insight from the Indigenous Governance Toolkit to support you and your group on your governance journey.??

In this newsletter, we look at the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women play in governance and as leaders

First Nations women and leadership?

Just as there’s no one theory of leadership, there’s no single template for First Nations women in leadership.[1] Women play an important role in strengthening their families and groups. Harnessing their skills, cultural knowledge and experience makes governance more effective.?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women make Indigenous governance stronger and healthier. They also better represent the diversity of needs, viewpoints, skills and experiences.?

They have always had influential leadership responsibilities for Country, Law and collective identity in accordance with Indigenous cultural traditions. Many continue to hold deep gender-based knowledge based on such responsibilities. In doing so, they provide profound and impactful leadership.??

Today, senior women are often the bedrock of community and family wellbeing, and are active in many leadership and governance roles.??

Supporting women in governance?

As First Nations women increasingly hold positions of authority, they can influence, educate and provide more opportunities for others.?

While everyone has a responsibility to rebuild Indigenous governance to support women’s active participation, it’s First Nations women themselves who do this best.?

There are many positive ways to support the leadership aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Some of them require a commitment to closing gender inequality gaps and making sure women are well represented in leadership roles. Others include making leadership mentoring and ‘on the job’ governing opportunities available to young women.

The Healing Foundation suggests groups invest in tailored, localised training programs that:?

• aim to build the confidence of young women to become future leaders?

• focus on succession planning and sustainable leadership outcomes.?

There are other ways to support women in governance. This might mean:?

• making sure women have access to leadership roles?

• encouraging women to engage in leadership and capacity-building opportunities.?

For example, by including them on boards or providing them with equal opportunity to participate in decision-making and meetings.?

Supporting women in governance also means treating women as individuals with their own goals and aspirations, and giving them opportunities to follow these aspirations.?

Groups should make an effort to recognise the significant role women have played – and continue to play – in their organisation, community or nation.?

“Everywhere I travelled I heard how our women and girls feel safer and more confident to seek support when it is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women designing, managing, and running the services responding to our specific needs.” – June Oscar, AO, Bunuba woman and Social Justice Commissioner, 2020

Check-up: Support women’s representation, voice and decision-making power in governance?

Below are some questions to prompt your thinking about how to better support women’s representation, voice and decision-making power in your governance settings.?

For each question, ask yourself: In our governance setting, what can we do / do more of / do better??

Consult and listen to women when workshopping your responses to these questions.?

These check-ups are intended for self-directed assessment. They can be used by leaders, board directors, or group members who want to evaluate the governance and leadership of their organisation, community or nation. You can do the check-up on your own or as a group and then compare results.?

Download our checkup tool?- or for more on First Nations women in governance, head to the Indigenous Governance Toolkit.

[1] C. Chamberlain, D. Fergie, A. Sinclair and C. Asmar, “Traditional midwifery or ‘wise women’ models of leadership: Learning from Indigenous cultures,” Leadership 12, no. 3 (2016): 353, [link]?

[2] Australian Human Rights Commission, Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices): Securing Our Rights, Securing Our Future Report (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2020), 162.?