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Submissions Open: Australian Government priorities for the 59th Session on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59)

The Office for Women would like to invite all interested individuals, non-government and civil society organisations to provide input into the Australian Government priorities for the 59th Session on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59), via a written submission process.

 

CSW59 will focus on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, including current challenges that affect its implementation and the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women. The Commission will undertake a review of progress made in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 20 years after its adoption at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995. The review (Beijing+20) will also include the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly, the first five-year assessment conducted after the adoption of the Platform for Action, which highlighted further actions and initiatives. The session will also address opportunities for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women in the post-2015 development agenda.

 

As you may be aware, the position taken by the Australian Government on various issues, guides our engagement in the annual CSW process, particularly during the negotiation of language in the Agreed Conclusions, the focus of discussions with other participating nations, and when determining Australia’s side events. The Office for Women would like to ensure that the views of Australia’s non-government community are taken into consideration during this process.

 

A template has been created as a guide in order to assist you or your organisation in making a submission. Use of the template (or similar document) is strongly recommended, but not essential.  Submissions will be shared with the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women and relevant Departmental officials for their consideration during the whole-of-government consultation process for determining Australian Government negotiation priorities, and may also be used in development of briefings and background material for the delegation.

 

When drafting your submission please also note the following guidance:

  • Submissions should be kept to six pages maximum, focussing on the key issues and suggestions for your organisation under one or more of the 12 critical areas under the Beijing Declaration and Platform for action – these are poverty, education and training, health, the economy, power and decision-making, human rights, armed conflict, institutional mechanisms, the environment, media, violence against women and the girl child.
  • The OfW would prefer to receive one submission per organisation, however, where your organisation has a head office as well as regional sub groups or branches, separate submissions may be made by each

 

Please send all submissions via email. Submissions are due midnight Sunday 30 November 2014.

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Media Release: Second Action Plan 2013-2016 of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022: Moving Ahead

MEDIA RELEASE

Second Action Plan 2013-2016 of the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children 2010-2022 

Moving Ahead

The Australian Women Against Violence Alliance commends the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments for their release of the Second Action Plan 2013-2016 of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children on June 27, 2014. The impact of Violence against women for Australian women, their families and their communities is devastating. Across the country one in three women experience physical violence and one in five experience sexual violence since the age of 15. Almost one woman is killed by a partner or ex-partner each week.

AWAVA applauds the Governments’ prioritisation of reducing violence against women and their leadership in strengthening our mechanisms to prevent and respond to this violence. We recognize the particular vulnerability of women from marginalised communities to violence and are pleased that the Second Action Plan 2013-2016 specifically targets high risk communities including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women and women with a disability.

Julie Oberin, the Chair of AWAVA, said today that she “welcomes the Action Plan’s focus on improving support services for women and children who are experiencing violence, whilst also addressing the root causes of violence against women such as gender inequality and community attitudes supporting and enabling violence to continue.” Ms. Oberin states that “it is a key strategy to engage with the media and key community institutions.”

AWAVA also welcomes the Senate Inquiry into domestic violence.

AWAVA looks forward to supporting the implementation of the Second Action Plan over the next 3 years. In particular, AWAVA is excited to be facilitating an International Conference on the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Children in collaboration with The Foundation to Prevent Violence against Women and Children in late 2015/early 2016.

 

For comment: Julie Oberin, Chair (email or 0419539346) Sophie Hardefeldt, Program Manager (email or 0418574018)

A pdf version of this media release is available here.

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Farewell to Dr Trishima Mitra-Kahn

It is with sadness that we inform you that Dr Trishima Mitra-Kahn, AWAVA’s committed Program Manager, has resigned. Trish has made the difficult decision to move on, seeking new challenges and opportunities in the preventing violence against women sector.

Trish joined AWAVA in March 2013 as Policy Officer and was appointed Program Manager in October 2013. Over the last year, she has been focused on amplifying member expertise so that AWAVA continues to deliver best-practice VAW policy advice and advocacy and has grown AWAVA’s international and domestic profile and reach. She has been integral in ensuring that AWAVA is recognised as a strong pathway between the specialist women’s services sector, governments, and policymakers.

The National WESNET Committee thank Trish for her management and hard work and wish her the best for her future. The Staff also thank her for her mentorship and leadership in establishing a highly effective team environment.

If you would like to get in touch with Trish, please contact the AWAVA Secretariat for forwarding details.

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Submissions into the Development of the Second Action Plan

The Department of Social Services recently accepted submissions on the development of the Second Action Plan (2013 – 2016). The Second Action Plan forms part of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-22 (the National Plan), which is a 12-year strategy which aims to bring together Commonwealth, state and territory government efforts, as well as the important work being done by civil society, the business sector and the Australian community more broadly to make a sustained reduction in the levels of violence against women and their children.

The community was invited to answer six questions in furtherance of the development of the Second Action Plan.

AWAVA submitted to the Department, and you can read our submission here.

 

Repository of Publicly Available Submissions

  1. Women’s Legal Services Australia
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International Women’s Day 2014: Message from Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash

On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2014, the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash sends her greetings to the National Women’s Alliances and acknowledges the work we collectively do to further gender equality and equity.

 

 

We thank the Minister for her kind words and look forward to continuing to engage, collaborate and work with her!

 

 

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Media Release: One Billion Rising

The Australian Women Against Violence Alliance welcomes women and girl’s leadership of and participation in the global One Billion Rising Movement. We believe such important campaigns continue to raise awareness of the nature, prevalence, and consequences of gender-based violence.

Please follow the link to read our One Billion Rising media release

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Holiday Message from Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash

 

The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash has acknowledged the vital work of the six National Women’s Alliances and has expressed her continuing belief and support for the work we do.

We thank the Minister for her kind words and look forward to continuing to engage, collaborate and work with her next year.

 

AWAVA Women.

Please click here for a transcript.

 

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Thank you, Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse

The Australian Women against Violence Alliance thanks the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse for services rendered to our Sector. The contribution of ADFVC to our Sector has been significant. For more than a decade, the ADFVC has contributed to the knowledge base on domestic and family violence and effective responses and best practice based prevention for survivors and victims through the provision of resources, up-to-date-information, and cutting-edge research and services. In particular, the ADFVC has assisted our Sector in the work we do through the robust translation of research to practice and we extend our deep gratitude to the staff, past and present.

To read AWAVA’s full media release, follow the Link

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Message from Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash

“Violence and sexual assault against women is totally unacceptable. Sadly, statistics tell us that one in three Australian women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15, and almost one in five have experienced sexual violence. The Coalition Government understands that in order to prevent violence against women and their children, attitudes around gender equality and violence need to change”

 – Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash

On the occasion of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, has sent a message to the National Women’s Alliances marking this important day.

We thank the Minister for her vision and leadership. A transcript of the Minister’s speech is available here

 

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Reclaim the Night: 25 October, 2013

Awava poster 2 - flat

AWAVA and Equality Rights Alliance are standing in solidarity today, 25 October 2013, to reclaim the night.

Both alliances strongly believe that safety and equality go hand in hand. AWAVA understands that gender-based violence against women is both a consequence and cause of gender inequity, which is embedded deeply within all levels of our society. Violence is perpetrated through institutions and the public sphere as well as in the privacy of intimate relationships. Efforts to end gender-based violence against women must be accountable to women and promote women’s empowerment and social and gender equality.

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