Did you know that, on average, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples die 10 years younger than other Australians?
The Close the Gap campaign, which launched in 2006, aims to address the gap in health and life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and achieve equality by 2030. The campaign is driven by a coalition of health, human rights and community organisations (both Indigenous and non-Indigenous), which are working together to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with the same access to healthcare that other Australians benefit from.
However, whilst progress has been made, change isn’t happening fast enough, with the 10-year review conducted last year revealing that the gap continues to widen. This includes higher infant mortality rates and higher rates of preventable illness among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, such as diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease (Download the 2019 Close the Gap report for more detailed information on campaign progress).
This year’s National Close the Gap Day event is being run by advocacy organisation ANTaR (Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation), with the purpose of raising awareness and support around health equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. On 21 March, campaign partners, along with around 200,000 Australians, will be taking part in activities to urge the State and Federal Governments to take meaningful action towards change. The key priorities of the campaign include:
- Better housing to improve health
- Access to the right healthcare where and when needed
- A more inclusive and responsive healthcare system.
If you’d like to find out more about National Close the Gap Day and how you can get involved, visit the ANTaR website.
As a 100% Aboriginal owned and managed recruitment agency, First People Recruitment Solutions is a proud supporter of the Close the Gap campaign and is committed to achieving equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
To learn more about our recruitment and career management solutions for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, get in touch with our friendly team.
