Women in Australia worked either as nurses or decided to take up practices in the paid workforce as of men weren’t there to continue the local business’ due to the war.workforce as men weren't there to continue the local business’ due to the war.
The working conditions for women in the war.
AcAccording to research, women in Australia worked either as nurses or decided to take up practices in the paid workforce as of men weren't there to continue the local business’ due to the war.
During World War 1, around 3,000 Australian women traveled overseas with the Australian Nursing Service (ANS). During that time women served in all theaters of war including hospital ships and transport. These nurses worked under quite extreme conditions at most times, as of several nurses were wounded and thirteen were killed.
However women were forbidden to serve in any direct roles in the armed forces. This was due to the Australian government, because the government wanted women to help the local economy back in their home country and they presumed that men were better ‘prepared’ for war situations.
As a result of this, many women decided to enter the paid workforce, whilst thousands more contributed their time to help with recruiting campaigns, fund-raising and charity work.
Women also supported the soldiers by providing extra things such as clothing, medicines, tobacco, and many other small luxuries the army failed to accommodate. Apart from this work, women made clothing for allied refugees, other women also attended for the returning invalids via the Red Cross.
Women were very nurturing and caring during the war, for example Red Cross raised 12 million pounds during this war period to pay for this work.
Women were so deeply involved in all of this, that they were classified as among the war’s fiercest supporters. Part of this was recognized through the work women did in recruiting campaigns, issuing posters and pamphlets and giving speeches at rallies; a rally is where troops join together again in establishment to continue fighting.
Women became so much involved with all of this that they started up an organisation named the Australian Women’s National League (AWNL), this organisation campaigned for conscription. The AWNL was a conventional women’s organisation established in 1904. According to research the organisation was in many, very similar to a political party.
During World War 1, around 3,000 Australian women traveled overseas with the Australian Nursing Service (ANS). During that time women served in all theaters of war including hospital ships and transport. These nurses worked under quite extreme conditions at most times, as of several nurses were wounded and thirteen were killed.
However women were forbidden to serve in any direct roles in the armed forces. This was due to the Australian government, because the government wanted women to help the local economy back in their home country and they presumed that men were better ‘prepared’ for war situations.
As a result of this, many women decided to enter the paid workforce, whilst thousands more contributed their time to help with recruiting campaigns, fund-raising and charity work.
Women also supported the soldiers by providing extra things such as clothing, medicines, tobacco, and many other small luxuries the army failed to accommodate. Apart from this work, women made clothing for allied refugees, other women also attended for the returning invalids via the Red Cross.
Women were very nurturing and caring during the war, for example Red Cross raised 12 million pounds during this war period to pay for this work.
Women were so deeply involved in all of this, that they were classified as among the war’s fiercest supporters. Part of this was recognized through the work women did in recruiting campaigns, issuing posters and pamphlets and giving speeches at rallies; a rally is where troops join together again in establishment to continue fighting.
Women became so much involved with all of this that they started up an organisation named the Australian Women’s National League (AWNL), this organisation campaigned for conscription. The AWNL was a conventional women’s organisation established in 1904. According to research the organisation was in many, very similar to a political party.
The living conditions for women during the war
During the war period many people considered that the war had helped forward women economically and politically. One example stated was from Millicent Fawcett, president of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (British organisation), said “The war revolutionized the industrial position of women,” (Women on the home front in World War One, 2013).
As well as this, according to research, the war did offer women more opportunities in the workforce due to the lack of men in the paid labor market. Through all these new job opportunities for women, their living conditions became better than they were before and their independence was increased. Women worked so much that they had little time to spend with their children which gave the children little family time because both parents didn't have the opportunity to spend casual time together.
As well as this, according to research, the war did offer women more opportunities in the workforce due to the lack of men in the paid labor market. Through all these new job opportunities for women, their living conditions became better than they were before and their independence was increased. Women worked so much that they had little time to spend with their children which gave the children little family time because both parents didn't have the opportunity to spend casual time together.
Women and their help for their countries during WW1 |
Enlistment and conscription impacting on the jobs or daily roles of women in society. |
Women helped their countries in many ways during the war. They helped economically and socially. Women helped in the army by becoming nurses and nurturing for the injured. As well, women entered the paid workforce to keep up economically because most of the men travelled off to war and left no one to keep up local businesses.
Many women decided to help out through motivating and helping with recruitment campaigns and fund-raising and charity work which all gave a contribute to their countries armies. As well as this, women provided soldiers with many luxuries such as clothing, medicines, tobacco and more. |
Through Propaganda, many women were “asked” to take up the jobs of which men would normally be considered to undertake in industries or labor. However most women tried to get in to female jobs but through the course of the war and the shortages in economy, most women ended up with “male jobs.”
However women who entered the paid labor market did receive lower pay rates than male workers doing the same job. Also, as stated earlier, many women spent their time prompting and helping recruitment campaigns. As well as this women also took part in events such as fund-raising or charity works. |
Images of women during WW1:
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