The UNOOSA Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit

The Australian Space Diversity Alliance was founded in November 2023, by 9 women with a vision for a future of equal opportunities for all identities and intersectionalities, in the space industry.

With diversity supercharging innovation, and an inclusive environment vital to harnessing the full spectrum of ideas in this frontier industry, The Alliance welcomes the release of the United Nations’ Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit.

While women graduate from STEM subjects and programs at faster rates than men, few women pursue jobs in STEM fields due to gender bias and discrimination.  For those who do, however, barriers remain. Women are underrepresented in leadership, managerial and technical positions, and barriers are amplified for marginalised groups of women.

UNOOSA recognises the representation of women in the sector is not just a matter of fairness or parity, but a strategic imperative for its future success.  Designed specifically for the Space Sector, the Toolkit’s ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality and support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals #2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13 and 16. 

Importantly, the Toolkit has been designed to benefit women and men equally, so that inequality is not perpetuated. It addresses underlying systemic inequalities and enables organisations to create environments where everyone can thrive. The Toolkit supports organisations to take a strategic approach to embedding simple, but practical measures which help people who are not specialists, adopt research and evidence-based tools, which make a meaningful difference.

With real world case studies and a checklist for navigation, the Toolkit focuses on:

1. Recruiting and retaining talent;

2. Dedicated programs to advance gender equality at all levels;

3. Addressing underlying systemic or structural causes of gender-based inequality, with policies that include everyone, and promote equal opportunities for all;

4. The development of accountability mechanisms to monitor progress.

Read the UNOOSA Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit, available in the Resources Section of the ASDA website.

Additionally, The Alliance has curated some industry guides which cover the State of the Space Industry and The Business Case, Barriers and Bias.  You can also find helpful resources covering evidence based Inclusion Strategies and Helpful Resources to support your organisation’s leadership develop a culture which will access the full spectrum of Australian capabilities and talent.

We hope you find these resources helpful in supporting your organisation’s diversity and inclusion journey, and encourage you to reach out to our helpful experts for additional guidance or advice.

We acknowledge the binary language in the UN Toolkit. ASDA recognises gender can be non-binary and that our goal is to support the inclusion of all identities and intersectionalities in the space sector.