Finally, a general lack of financial and social support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
women to participate was a significant issue identified in many of the submissions. Some
women felt that they lacked the necessary skills and knowledge to operate in leadership
roles with success – leaving their considerable influence as community leaders as untapped
assets. Many of the submissions emphasise the importance of capacity building for women in
native title – for example, through mentoring, paid roles and the creation of female-orientated
leadership and governance programs.
I think the focus should be on the post‑determination context. In that context, it is
important for women TOs to build their skills in governance, so support for femaleorientated leadership and governance programs would assist. Katherine Perencek,
non‑Indigenous lawyer
Women could be offered training, mentoring support for them to be successful in a
reformed NT system. Women could be paid to take on these roles as a measure of their
value and importance in a reformed NT system. Jennifer Darr
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Women in Native Title: Native Title Report 2024