This week, the Federal Government have made several announcements relating to the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children (National Plan) and its implementation. AWAVA welcomes the release of the first stage Implementation Plan and its strong focus on primary prevention, working to increase gender equality to prevent violence from occurring in the first [...]
Changes to the definition of domestic violence and abuse were announced this week in Australia and in the UK: the definition in Queensland has been expanded to include non-violent behaviour, and in the UK 'coercive control' - the pattern of ongoing power and control - is now recognised. This is particularly significant given preparations for the 57th [...]
Four people were arrested in NSW this week on charges relating to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). NSW Family and Community Services Minister, Pru Goward, says that this is unlikely to be an isolated case; The Australian reports this is believed to be the first time charges have been laid for acts committed in Australia and The Telegraph says that girls need to [...]
Domestic and family violence were a key new's focus last week with major announcements in Victoria (see below for a round-up!) and the 7th National Homelessness Conference highlighting the impact domestic and family violence can have on women and their children. Bob McColl, ABS Statistician, pointed out at the conference that domestic violence is still the number one driver [...]
Last week AWAVA was excited to attend the formal launch of the Stopping Violence Against Women Before It Starts: A Practical Toolkit for Communities by Minister Julie Collins at the Country Women™s Association of Australia National Conference, in Hobart. The Toolkit was featured on ABC news. The 15 easy-to-understand Toolkit factsheets support the National Plan to Reduce [...]
“We need to break the silences that surround violence against women. We need men and women in our communities to have those difficult conversations and to start to redress gender and other social inequalities. We need our communities to recognise that it’s everyone's responsibility to address violence against women - this Toolkit is a great [...]
This week the chair of AWAVA, Julie Oberin, met with Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, from the Australian Human Rights Commission and representatives from the National Women's Alliances and attended the AusAID reception with UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet - a busy, productive and inspiring time! AWAVA attended Michelle Bachelet's Gender Equality a [...]
A busy week in the AWAVA office last week, with the joint report with NATSIWA, NGOs' Follow-up report to the CEDAW Committee, being finalised, submitted to the CEDAW Committee and published - thanks again to everyone who contributed to, and endorsed the report. All six National Women's Alliances and over 100 organisations supported it, a [...]
Information on progress against the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children 2010-22 and the National Priorities is now available following the first National Plan Implementation Panel (NPIP) in April 2012. The update is provided from the National Plan Secretariat, Safety Taskforce Branch, FaHCSIA and can be accessed here Some of the highlights: [...]
The emergence of blossoms on my trees tells me that spring is on the way! Last week AWAVA, along with member organisations and Friends & Supporters, endorsed the Joint NGO Submission to the UN Human Rights Committee on the List of Issues Prior to Reporting for the Sixth Periodic Report of Australia, coordinated by NACLC [...]