5 Things You Can Do To Close The Gap

‘Close the Gap’ is a phrase you may have heard in discussions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and equality. But do you know how you can help to Close the Gap?

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What does 'close the gap' actually mean?

#1 Educate yourself

#2 Get a (Politician) pen pal

#3 March Proud

#4 Join the movement by signing a petition

#5 Be social

What does 'close the gap' actually mean?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children generally have better vision than other Australian children. But as adults, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are three times more likely to go blind.

‘The Gap’ refers to these differences in health outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and non-Indigenous Australians.

Since 2006, Australia's peak health bodies, NGOs and human rights organisations have worked together, aiming to achieve health and life expectancy equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

150,000 Australians participated in 1,596 Close the Gap events across the country in 2017. This is called the 'Close the Gap' Campaign.

The goal of the Close the Gap campaign is to achieve health equity and reduce the life expectancy gap within a generation.

The Fred Hollows Foundation actively participates in and supports the steering committee of the campaign.

#1 Educate yourself

One of the best ways to be an advocate for change is to educate yourself on the issues, as well as on how to build respect and relationships between cultures.

Issues involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples that you should be aware of are:

The tragic historical events that occurred in our shared history
The persistent and ongoing health and eye health issues
Concepts that are important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, including ‘the Dreaming’, country, language, law, the environment, family and kinship

Here are some great resources you can check out:

#2 Get a (Politican) pen pal

In Australia, a democratic state, we can use our voice to demand basic human rights, like equality and fairness.

Closing the gap is about equality and there are a number of key political actions that are needed to drive the Close the Gap movement forward.

Write to your local MP, the Prime Minister and the Ministers for Health and Indigenous Australians asking them to support the call for an extra $85.5 million over five years to help close the gap in eye health.

Smiling indigenous child

Photographer: Claude Ho (2007)

#3 March proud

National Close the Gap Day falls in March each year. In 2020, it will be on March 19th.

Attending a Close the Gap day event is a great way to bring the cause to your local community and to the forefront of Australian media. It’s also a great way to surround yourself with people just like you. People who know that change is needed and that sitting on the couch probably won’t help that change to occur.

Visit the ANTaR website to register an event. You can start an event on behalf of your workplace, school, sports club or community group. You can also download all the resources you’ll need to advertise your event, including banners and images for social media

#4 Join the movememnt by signing a petition

There is an upswell of support for the Close the Gap movement, and its strength lies in the number of people supporting it.

Petitions can create buzz for an issue online, help to secure valuable media stories, and can initiate important conversations in political spaces.

Sign our petition demanding action to Close the Gap in eye health, and to receive updates on our advocacy work at The Foundation.

Indigenous man with a patch over his eye posing after eye surgery

#5 Be Social

Using your social media network is incredibly powerful and can result in real change.
Here are a few ways you can build social media momentum within your friend and follower groups:

'Like' and share the Close the Gap Facebook page, and see if there's anything happening you'd like to be involved with;
Spread awareness and tell your family and friends about the current state of health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples by reposting articles and facts on your social media channels;
Share petitions, viral videos and influential speeches as Facebook or Instagram stories or posts, encouraging everyone in your network to throw their support behind the cause; and
Share this article with your social networks so more people know exactly what they can do to Close the Gap.

Be part of the generation that makes a change and closes the gap for good.

COVER PHOTO: Wayne Quilliam (2004)

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