A summary of WEN's initiatives and statistics on the representation of women in economics in Australia can be found in this WEN publication:
Women in Economics Network (2022) Taking action to improve gender equality in economics
WEN created the Australian Gender Economics Workshop as a way to foster a community of economic researchers who can collectively contribute to the evidence base needed to guide the pursuit of more gender equitable outcomes in society.
Held annually since 2018, AGEW includes program of economic research presentations, keynote speakers from eminent researchers and a policy symposium session which focuses on how to convert these research insights into practical action for change.
Research presentations are selected through an open call for paper and independent scientific committee. Participation is open to anyone with an interest in gender economics research and policy.
The Economic Society of Australia created a National Economic Panel as an expert platform for sharing the perspectives of economists in Australia on a range of topical policy issues. The results of regular polls of the Panel are published on The Conversation website.
WEN has contributed to this initiative by nominating more female economists to be invited to join the panel, including more women from diverse backgrounds, so that the panel achieves a more gender balanced and demographically diverse composition.
WEN has also contributed by suggesting topics for the poll which promoting an awareness of policy issues that relate to gender equality in society.
WEN has been actively ensuring that female economists are included among the deserving short-listed candidates for the annual awards that are presented by the Economic Society of Australia.
These awards recognise economists in Australia for their contribution to development of economic research and their service to the profession.
WEN is guided by the research and takes an evidence-based approach to the design of its initiatives. The network is investing in a data collection processes to benchmark and track changes in the representation of women in economics, complemented by quantitative and qualitative surveys of WEN members and the economics community. These projects enable us to assess the impact of WEN over time.
The story of the creation of WEN, data on women's representation in economics in Australia, and measures of WEN's impact, are available in this paper: Lifting diversity and inclusion in economics - How the Australian Women in Economics Network put the evidence into action
WEN presented this paper at the US Federal Reserve Conference on Diversity and Equality in Economics, Finance and Central Banking 2021 in November 2021. The conference proceedings can be viewed on the US Fed YouTube channel (WEN's presentation starts at 8:16:40).
WEN presented this paper as part of the 5 Year Anniversary of WEN webinar event in March 2022. A recording is available on the WEN YouTube channel. The presentation slides are available for download here.
WEN has also invested in formal evaluations of particular initiatives, to contribute to our broader understanding about "what works" to close gender gaps in male-dominated fields. A leading example is the Women in Economics Student Mentoring Program that was implemented and formally evaluated as a randomised trial by the ACT Branch of WEN in partnership with the Australian National University (ANU) and the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA).
WEN's collection of newsletter articles and "Credible Economist" Blog contributions provide research insights across a range of topics including but not limited to gender inequality issues, written by our WEN members.
The articles also include the valuable insights that can be gained by female economists reflecting on their career experiences and sharing their personal stories and reflections, supported by the statistical evidence and the knowledge they have gained through their research and studies. A sample of these articles are listed below:
Women in economics: Myth busters by Rhiannon Yetsenga
Women in the economy and in economics by Luci Ellis
COVID, care and wellbeing: What do we really value? by Evie Fox Koob
Impassioned by inequality: Why we need to bring gender analysis into mainstream economics by Ruth Badru
The under-representation of women in economics: A student’s perspective by Phoebe Bardsley
How can business leaders sit at the policy table and ensure their voice is heard? by Taleen Shamlian
Reading between the lines by Leonora Risse
WEN's calendar of activities includes regular seminar presentations, panel discussions and symposium events which address issue of women's under-representation in economics and broader issues of gender inequality.
To counter women's long-standing under-representation in economic policy debate and media, our events also highlight the expertise and knowledge that female economists bring cross a wide range of economic issues including budget analysis, macroeconomic outlook, behavioural economic insights, disadvantage and inequality, and climate action policy.
WEN members have the opportunity to participate in these events. A selection of recordings of these events are available on the WEN YouTube Channel.
WEN has created a suite of resources designed to inform and inspire students. The design of these resources has been carefully informed by the research into the factors that matter for female students' vocational choices.
The research affirms that role models, personal connections, and having a clear understanding about a subject can make a difference to students' subject choices and career pathways.
WEN's resources provides an authentic picture about the wide range of meaningful career opportunities that economics offers. Our resources also bring a personal touch, as we profile the diverse individual stories of women working in the profession. They share their reflections on what motivated them to study economics and the aspects of their economics careers that they have found most fulfilling and enriching.
These resources are freely available on WEN's Study webpage for teachers, educators, career guidance officers, students and their parents to access.