Welcome to all of our new subscribers! In the past few weeks we have had quite a few newbies join us, which is great! Remember, if there is an event you want to promote, or an article of interest you want to share, send it through to [email protected] and we will try to include it in our round-ups.

Quite a bit of interesting news across our virtual desks this week, so settle in for some great reading!

Around the Nation

  • The Final Report of phase 1 into allegations of ongoing sexual and other abuse in the Defence Force has been received by Stephen Smith, Minister for Defence – read the media release here
  • Pressure is now being put on NRL sponsors to make a difference in ending violence against women
  • The WA draft mental health bill has some “”appalling elements around forced sterilisation of women”” says Tricia Malowney in this online opinion piece
  • The Sydney Morning Herald reports on UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women’s round-table held in Sydney
  • and the Minister for the Status of Women announces National Plan Community Action Grant to the AFL for work preventing violence against women

 

And Internationally…

 

 

New Survey

Have Your Say!

Women’s Major Group, supported by UN Women, is Collecting Women’s Voices gathering the views and gender perspectives on sustainability and what that means for women around the world through the Rio+20 gender survey.

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Upcoming Events

As always, AWAVA supports our Friends & Supporters events in the community – click on any of the events below to be directed to more info and registration details:

  • NEW!!   the Women’s Legal Centre ACT presents the Women and Justice Forum 16 May
  • NEW!!   Australia’s CEO Challenge and Minter Ellison are offering Specialist Training by Stephen Page on Family Law changes and their potential impacts on 14 and 15 May, in Brisbane
  • NEW!!   IWDA are screening The Lady, a film about the life of Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi around Australia on 27 and 30 April
Still time to register:
  • Griffith University Domestic Violence Symposium on 3 May
  • Violence Against Women Conference – Queensland on 7,8, 9 August 2012, in Brisbane www.violenceagainstwomenqld.com.au
  • The Australian Women’s Coalition is calling young women between 18 – 30 years who live, study or work in Auburn, Bankstown, Liverpool or Coffs Harbour NSW, or in Canberra, ACT to be a part of SHOUT!  A series of three free workshops will run in each location, complemented by an online network of support and skills-sharing and a local network of participants and AWC member organisations. The workshops will culminate in community events on Harmony Day next year, 21 March 2013. Find out more here
  • Dont forget the Association of Women Educators conference being held in July 2012 – for details and registration click here
  • Preventing and responding to violence against women: Issues, challenges and best practice to be held in Adelaide (South Australia) on 15 June 2012
  • The No To Violence conference will be held in November 2012
  • The 7th Womens Health Conference will be held in Sydney in 2013