Frequently asked questions about gender equity

The Gender Equity Sub-committee defines ‘equity’ in terms of its goal of providing everyone with the full range of opportunities and benefits to achieve equity, that is ‘the same finish line’. Equality is the effect of treating everyone fairly without difference; each individual is considered the same without measuring or comparing their attributes to others.

Intersectionality is the complex, cumulative manner in which the effects of different forms of discrimination combine, overlap, or intersect (Merriam Webster dictionary). Intersectionality is the sum of its parts, meaning that the inequality resulting from one area of discrimination is compounded when other areas of discrimination overlap. This results in greater inequity. For example, Indigenous women are grossly under-represented in professional roles in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines meritocracy as “a social system, society, or organisation in which people get success or power because of their abilities, not because of their money or social position.” Whilst this approach appears unbiased on first glance, it does not take into account inequities which affect merit – for example, taking time for parental leave increases the time it takes to achieve a designated level of merit. Determination of merit must take into account the inequities to which the individual has been exposed.

Gender equity seeks to develop empowering workplaces for all staff to allow maximum flexibility in workplace roles without causing detriment to career opportunities. Gender equity provides this by encouraging part time rostering, flexible work hours and leave conditions. Gender equity seeks to improve outcomes for all genders by making these conditions available to all staff and particularly by encouraging and supporting its uptake by all.

The first step toward promotion of gender equity is to recognise the value of diversity within the workplace and encourage discussion and open communication to raise awareness. Being open to viewing your workplace through the lens of diversity is a crucial first step, along with empowering staff to consider diversity within their departments, hospitals and networks. Learn more about how to enact change in our resource toolkit.

ANZCA and FPM fully support the rights and needs of women who return to work while breast-feeding a position that reflects the law ^{1, 2} and contemporary thinking and research on gender equity and inclusion and diversity, more broadly ^3..

Breastfeeding is a physiological process and pumping of breast milk may be essential for the health and wellbeing of breastfeeding women and their infants. The college's expectation is that workplaces will provide support for breastfeeding and pumping, which would reasonably include dedicated space (separate to bathrooms), reasonable break time, and recognition by colleagues that needs vary between women. This also includes the use of wearable breast pumps in theatre, as human breast milk is not recognised as a bodily fluid requiring universal precautions.⁴  

The provision of safe anaesthesia and pain medicine procedures is paramount, and requires close clinical observation and assessment by a vigilant anaesthetist a standard that assumes their continuous presence ⁵. Consequently, provisions should be made to schedule pumping breaks at times when they do not have clinical responsibilities for patients, which may involve scheduling appropriate arrangements for breaks and handover.

Workplaces need to ensure adequate provision of resources to facilitate continuous direct clinical monitoring of anaesthetised patients. However, ANZCA recognises that in exceptional circumstances brief absences from the operating theatre are unavoidable. Hospitals and theatre staff should recognise and support clinicians who may face such circumstances. The anaesthesist may leave if they determine it necessary, taking into account all relevant factors such as the risks and benefits to the anaesthetised patient at that particular point in time, the availability (or otherwise) of another specialist, suitably trained and competent nurse or technician to stay with the patient, and their capacity to commit to an appropriately brief absence and to remain close by in order to return immediately, if required.

References and further reading

1. Australian Government Fair Work Ombudsman, Returning to Work from Parental Leave, Breastfeeding in the Workplace.  Accessed February 2023
2. Employment New Zealand, Breastfeeding at Work. Accessed February 2023.   
3. ANZCA, Gender Equity Position Statement. Accessed February 2023.   
4. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Breastfeeding FAQ. Accessed February 2023.     
5. ANZCA,PS18 Guidelines on Monitoring during Anaesthesia. Accessed February 2023   
6. American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation. Breastfeeding and Lactation for Medical Trainees. Accessed February 2023