2013-2014-2015 

 

The Parliament of the 

Commonwealth of Australia 

 

THE SENATE 

 

 

 

 

Presented and read a first time 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

International Aid (Promoting Gender 

Equality) Bill 2015 

 

No.      , 2015 

 

(Senator Rhiannon) 

 

 

 

A Bill for an Act to promote gender equality in the 

provision of international aid by the 

Commonwealth, and for related purposes 

   

   

   

 

 

No.      , 2015 

International Aid (Promoting Gender Equality) Bill 2015 

i 

 

Contents 

Part 1--Preliminary

 

1

 

1 

Short title ........................................................................................... 1

 

2 

Commencement ................................................................................. 2

 

3 

Definitions ......................................................................................... 2

 

Part 2--Promoting gender equality

 

3

 

4 

Duty to have regard to gender equality .............................................. 3

 

5 

Reporting on the use of international aid to promote gender 

equality .............................................................................................. 3

 

 

 

 

No.      , 2015 

International Aid (Promoting Gender Equality) Bill 2015 

1 

 

A Bill for an Act to promote gender equality in the 

1 

provision of international aid by the 

2 

Commonwealth, and for related purposes 

3 

The Parliament of Australia enacts: 

4 

Part 1--Preliminary 

5 

   

6 

1  Short title 

7 

 

  This Act may be cited as the International Aid (Promoting Gender 

8 

Equality) Act 2015. 

9 

   

Part 1  Preliminary 

   

 

Section 2 

 

2 

International Aid (Promoting Gender Equality) Bill 2015 

No.      , 2015 

 

2  Commencement 

1 

 

  This Act commences on the day after this Act receives the Royal 

2 

Assent. 

3 

3  Definitions 

4 

 

  In this Act: 

5 

Commonwealth aid official means an officer or employee of the 

6 

Commonwealth (including a Minister) who has powers, functions 

7 

or responsibilities that relate to the provision of official 

8 

development assistance or humanitarian assistance. 

9 

humanitarian assistance means international aid (however 

10 

described) provided for the purpose of alleviating the effects of a 

11 

natural or human-caused disaster or other emergency on the 

12 

population of one or more foreign countries. 

13 

Minister for Foreign Affairs means the Minister administering the 

14 

Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Act 1967. 

15 

official development assistance means bilateral or multilateral 

16 

international aid (however described) provided for the purpose of: 

17 

 

(a)  furthering development in one or more foreign countries; or 

18 

 

(b)  improving the welfare of the population of one or more 

19 

foreign countries. 

20 

   

Promoting gender equality  Part 2 

   

 

Section 4 

 

No.      , 2015 

International Aid (Promoting Gender Equality) Bill 2015 

3 

 

Part 2--Promoting gender equality 

1 

   

2 

4  Duty to have regard to gender equality 

3 

 

(1)  A Commonwealth aid official who proposes to make a decision 

4 

relating to the provision of official development assistance must, in 

5 

making the decision, have regard to how the provision will 

6 

contribute to reducing inequality between persons of different 

7 

gender. 

8 

 

(2)  A Commonwealth aid official who proposes to make a decision 

9 

relating to the provision of humanitarian assistance must, in 

10 

making the decision, have regard to any gender-related differences 

11 

in the needs of those affected by the disaster or emergency so that 

12 

those with specific needs can be accommodated. 

13 

5  Reporting on the use of international aid to promote gender 

14 

equality 

15 

 

(1)  Each financial year, the Minister for Foreign Affairs must present 

16 

to each House of the Parliament a report setting out how, during 

17 

the previous financial year, the Commonwealth used international 

18 

aid to promote gender equality in recipient countries. 

19 

 

(2)  The report is to be presented to each House of the Parliament 

20 

within 15 sitting days of that House after the end of the financial 

21 

year. 

22