This week, AWAVA joined the five other Commonwealth-funded National Women's Alliances at the joint annual forum. Discussions focused on achievements and challenges during the first three years and future plans for the Alliances individually and collectively. Margaret Augerinos, an Executive Member of our Advisory Group, also represented AWAVA's CSW57 delegation in a panel discussion chaired by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, [...]
The news this week in Australia has been dominated by examples of sexist behaviour and attitudes – a strong reminder that there is a way to go to address gender inequality and, ultimately, the prevention of violence against women, which is both a cause and consequence of gender and social inequalities. […]
US rapper, Tyler-the-Creator has been in Australia this week giving concerts; his song lyrics promote violence against women, so should we really be giving him a platform to do this? We can't excuse songs about rape, genital mutilation, raping corpses and burying bodies, as 'entertainment' or 'free speech'. A resolution in the Philippines was filed [...]
The power of collective lobbying and advocacy last week made two great impacts - pressuring Facebook to review its policies and training to include gender-based hate speech in their moderating of online material; and, in Australia, much-needed amendments were made to NSW's compensation to victims of violence against women. In other news...a busy week around the country! AWAVA added our [...]
This week, AWAVA Chairperson, Julie Oberin, presented a paper Women, Children And Homelessness: Taking The National Challenge Seriously and a workshop on Women And Homelessness at the National Homelessness Summit. Parliamentary Secretary for Homelessness and Social Housing Melissa Parke met with key stakeholders at the National Homelessness Summit in Sydney to discuss approaches and innovation in tackling homelessness. “This [...]
This week AWAVA Chairperson, Julie Oberin, attended the inaugural International White Ribbon Conference: Global to Local: Preventing Men’s Violence against Women – Research, Policy and Practice in One Space. AWAVA also attended the Federal budget stakeholder lock-up on 14 May, see more below... Federal Budget The Women's Budget Highlights 2013-14 can be accessed here - be sure to have a [...]
AWAVA's Chair, Julie Oberin, presented on the Stopping Violence Against Women Before It Happens: A Practical Toolkit for Communities, and joined a National Women's Alliance panel session, at the 7th Australian Women's Health Network (AWAVA member organisation) Conference, Gender Matters: Determining Women's Health, last week. AWAVA also announced our endorsement of AWHN's 2012 Position Paper, Women and Health and Well-being, which [...]
Last week, AWAVA attended AMaRWA’s national Stand Up! Eliminating All Forms of Violence Against CALD Women conference, sponsoring three CALD women survivors of violence and their support workers to make sure that particularly marginalised women’s voices are heard by governments. We thank the survivors and their support workers for the valuable time and for sharing their experiences. Candlelight vigils [...]
This week, AWAVA has been following reports on sexism. We have been following reports on why a focus on women politicians' appearance fuels sexism; why women's looks still count and how ""praising women's looks is not necessarily a compliment but a reminder that they are not quite on the same level as men, whose worth is measured [...]
Over 80% of women and girls worldwide face street harassment: catcalls, groping, sexual comments and public masturbation. Street harassment limits women and girls' mobility and access to public spaces and is a form of violence against women and a human rights violation. Last week was International End Sexual Harassment Week – AWAVA joined in with tweeting to raise awareness. Read [...]