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So far AWAVA Program Manager has created 72 blog entries.

Weekly Round-up* 13 April

We hope you all had a nice, relaxing and safe mini-break over the long weekend, and it’s another short week, and another short round-up!  Don’t forget there are plenty of events happening around the country, with new listings all the time – scroll to the end of this post for more details

Around the Nation

  • The Victorian Women’s Trust has posted a summary of its Storming Against Violence week of action here
  • Rhonda Cumberland says that forced marriage is a hidden problem in Australia that must be addressed
  • The UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, Dr Rashida Manjoo, attended the first roundtables in Sydney, including one for immigrant and refugee women; and spoke at the reception held by UN Women on 10 April.  The UN Special Rapporteur’s study tour continues until 20 April

And Internationally

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AWAVA have  been busy supporting our local and international sisters in a number of campaigns to end Violence Against Women. Click on the links below to see the petitions AWAVA have signed, and to add your signature!

  • Change.org campaign urges the NRL to impose a one season ban on players convicted of violence against women.  This petition only takes 3 minutes to read and complete and could make a measurable difference, not just in the NRL, but in organisations generally
  • Many of you will have read about Amina Filali, the 16 year old Morrocan girl who killed herself after being forced to marry her rapist. If you haven’t already, click here to sign the petition to pressure the Morrocan government to change the law that allows this to happen
  • Click here to join the call to protect workers who experience Domestic and Family Violence

 

Dont’ Forget!

Upcoming Events

There is still time to register for these events

  • 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
Read More

Joint Media Release: International Women’s Day 2013

International Women’s Day 2013 – joint media release with Homelessness Australia, Equality Rights Alliance and WESNET.

Women more vulnerable than ever

“”The face of homelessness is increasingly that of a woman. Women are more vulnerable than ever with a greater likelihood of experiencing poverty and violence, putting their risk of homelessness at an all time high. Is this the face we want to show to the world on International Women’s Day 2013?”

Read media release here

Read More

Weekly Round-up* – 24 February

AWAVA attended the public forum Exploring Sexual Violence and Institutionalisation in the ACT on Monday, which discussed the vulnerability of women in institutions, with particularly powerful contributions from women with lived experience.   Some of the key points raised were:
  • 89% of women in prisons have experienced some form of sexual abuse
  • Sexual violence in mental health facilities is often unreported, or met with disbelief, minimisation and blame; those who have experienced violence should receive trauma-based care
  • The definition of domestic and family violence needs to be widened to include institutional setting
The Australian Government’s violence against women social marketing campaign, The Line, is a finalist in an international award for innovation.  The Avon Foundation for Women recognises organisations from around the world which have produced exemplary communications campaigns and materials about ending violence against women.  Award winners will be announced at the 2nd World Conference of Women’s Shelters on 28 February, in Washington DC.
Reports in the news internationally this week include:
  • The Daily Star reports on the STOP Domestic Violence Against Women protest in Beirut, a demonstration raising awareness of Lebanon’s lack of legislation protecting women from domestic abuse, including spousal rape and physical violence
  • A special police force has been established in Istanbul specifically to address gender-based violence, the World Bulletin reports on the 15-day training course for officers on  gender relations, inequality and how to properly and sensitively handle cases of gender-based violence
Coming Up!
Friday 2 March: Joint Alliances International Women’s Day Event
Thursday 8 March: International Women’s Day Lunch – UN Women (12.30pm-2pm), National Convention Centre, Canberra
Thursday 8 March: ACT International Women’s Day Awards, 5.30pm, Street Theatre.  Enquiries: [email protected] or 6205 0515
Friday 9 March: Identifying the Hidden Disaster: The First Australian Conference on Natural Disasters and Family Violence, Melbourne
Early call for papers for the Participatory Justice and Victims Conference – a ground-breaking conference exploring the practices and politics of participation in justice processes by individuals and communities victimised by violence (closes Friday 11 May 2012)
Read More

Weekly Round-up* 17 February

This week three of the National Women’s Alliances – Australian Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Alliance (AIRWA), Equality Rights Alliance (ERA) and AWAVA – met with a Chinese delegation, organised by JERA International, to discuss how the Alliances work together, and with the Government.  Other news in Australia and around the world:
  • Findings from the first survey of the whole of Queensland, by the Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research, provide a benchmark for measuring against the 12-year national plan to reduce violence against women and their children by 2022
  • The Australian reports on the launch of the AFL Tackling the Tackle: Respect is for Everyone DVD which will help spread the message to young footballers across Australia that violence against women will not be tolerated
Internationally
  • The Himalyan Times reports on the National Alliance for Women Human Rights’ Defenders (NAWHRD) letter to Kathmandu’s Prime Minister Babu Ram Bhattarai asking him to end Gender Based Violence (GBV)
  • Turkish Women’s Rights’ group urged ‘Forget the flowers, stop the violence for Valentines Day’ read more here
  • Read here how the Violence Against Women Act has become a partisan issue in the US for the first time in its history, it will now go to the full Senate for consideration
  • Dominican leaders signed an agreement to end violence against women, read more here
  • Eve Ensler launched V-Day’s One Billion Rising campaign for a global strike to end violence against women on 14 February 2013. Read more in Eve’s article here, or sign up now
Coming Up

20 February: Exploring sexual violence and institutionalisation in the ACT Public Forum, on Monday, at the National Library in Canberra
23 February: ERA Federal Budget Training in Brisbane
28 February: ERA Federal Budget Training in Canberra
2 March: if you’re in Canberra, don’t miss the National Women’s Alliances International Women’s Day Event
7 March: in Western Australia Robyn McSweeney MLC, Minister for Women’s Interests, is holding an International Women’s Day Discussion Lounge on the theme of “The mothers of invention – women as innovators and agents of change”
Read More

In Focus: Female Genital Mutilation

This week saw the International Day to end Female Genital Mutiliation on Feb 6.  This day recognises that three million girls and women are subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM) worldwide each year, that’s 8000 girls every day, and that it is time to end this form of violence against women and girls.

In keeping with this, we have an In Focus post with articles on FGM (sometimes called female circumsion or “cutting”) that have appeared in the news around the world.

Female Genital Mutilation

  • Fionnuala Murphy asks whether the government is doing enough to end FGM in Britain
  • Mrs Florence Ali, president of the Ghana Association for Women’s Welfare poses the same question in Ghana
  • According to the LA times, progress is being made in Africa, with 8,000 communities putting an end to FGM.  You can also read more about ending FGM in Africa here
  • In Ireland, there is debate between Amnesty International and government officials about wording of laws to ban FGM
  • In continental Europe, Amnesty International have joined forces with the European Women’s Lobby to lobby government for change
  • In Uganda, there is pressure on government to do more in educating local communities
  • And in Yemen, there is a need to look at new strategies to end widespread FGM**articles included are not necessarily the views of AWAVA
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Equality Rights Alliance Federal Budget Training

How would you spend $365bn?

You’re invited to a training workshop to help your women’s organisation:

  • Write an effective Federal Budget submission
  • Run a rocking public campaign supporting your submission

And best of all, it’s FREE!

Event in Alice Springs, Railway Terrace, on Monday 23 July 10am-4pm.  Please RSVP to ERA or call 02 6175 9926 by Thursday 19 July

Alice Springs Training Workshop Invite

 

Previous events in Brisbane on 23 February and Canberra on 28 February, see flyers below

Brisbane ERA Training Workshop Invite

Canberra ERA Training Workshop Invite

 

 

 

 

 

 

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International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation

Three million girls and women are subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM) worldwide each year. That’s 8000 girls per day.

FGM is a form of violence against women and children.  Today (6 February 2012) is International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, an official UN day to raise awareness.  Although illegal in Australia, the Melbourne Royal Women’s Hospital alone has reported seeing between 600 and 700 women affected by FGM annually.

END FGM, a European campaign, led by Amnesty International Ireland, working in partnership with a number of organisations in EU member states, have created a video to celebrate the 42,000 signatures of support demanding leaders to take action.

 

Read More

Domestic Violence as a Ground of Discrimination

AWAVA endorsed the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse (ADFVC) submission on the consolidation of the anti-discrimination laws on 1 February 2012.

AWAVA strongly advocates for an express protection to be included in the consolidated Act for women who encounter discrimination in the workplace, or in securing accommodation or services, as a consequence of experiencing, or having experienced domestic violence.

The protections proposed by ADFVC would assist women who have experienced/are experiencing domestic violence and reduce further social and financial disadvantage.

Read the Endoresement of ADFVC Anti Discrimination Law Submission

Read More
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