Projects

A list of Australian Women’s Coalition (AWC) projects and reports:

Report on the AWC Intercultural Bridge-building Project: a study of the social and political impact of women’s intercultural dialogue

Date: March 2010

AWC commissioned Dr Trish Madigan to conduct a study of the social and political impacts of the intercultural dialogue and activities undertaken by AWC. The report, completed in mid-March 2010, makes 11 recommendations about how Australian women, in their diversity, can contribute more effectively to bring their perspectives to the academic and public affairs debates on issues of social importance.

InterculturalAnalysis-Madigan.pdf [196 KB]

Human Trafficking Update

Date: March 2010

In March 2010, the Anti-Slavery Project, University of Technology (UTS) Sydney presented AWC members with an overview of the evolution of Australia’s response to trafficking since the AWC’s first report on anti-trafficking measures in 2004.

TraffickingUpdate-UTS.pdf [792 KB]

Health Consumers and Medical Decision Making

Date: March 2010

AWC funded the Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) to: analyse the contribution health consumer representatives make to medical decisions and outcomes; and explore ways of optimising the value of consumer representative participation.

HealthConsumerRepresentation-CHF.pdf [296 KB]

Durri Aboriginal Women’s Health Project-Advocacy Report

Date: March 2010

AWC member organisation, the Australian Federation of Medical Women (AFMW), has been working with the Durri Aboriginal Medical Corporation Service (‘Durri’) to assist with their ‘While ya down there’ project. The project aimed to improve access to sexual health services for the Aboriginal women of the Macleay and Nambucca Valleys, thus enabling them to make better choices about their sexual health as part of a broader women’s health program. The approach offers women the opportunity to take control of their own sexual health in a gender and culturally appropriate manner within a safe environment. The project report will continue to assist with advocacy work in this important area.

WYDT-Durri.pdf [268 KB]

AWC Submission to House of Representatives ATSI Committee inquiry

Date: February 2010

Based on its consultation project conducted in 2009, the AWC made a submission in early 2010 to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on ATSI Affairs. The submission was in response to the ATSI Affairs Committee inquiry into Indigenous juveniles and young adults in the criminal justice system. The key issue that AWC drew to the Committee’s attention is the need for policy makers and administrators to recognise the unique needs of young ATSI women and girls when formulating prevention, early intervention and rehabilitation policies and programs for young offenders and those at risk of offending.

AWCSubmissionRepsATSICttee.pdf [168 KB]

AWC Submission to the Government's Review of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace (EOWW) Act and Agency (EOWA)

Date: October 2009

On 16 October 2009 the AWC made its Submission to the Government's Review of the EOWW Act and Agency. The submission strongly advocates for Government action to dramatically improve women's equality at work (including pay equity). To achieve change of the magnitude necessary to progress gender equality at work significantly, the AWC believes more Government resources will be needed. The adequacy of the funding to accompany changes to the framework promoting equality at work will be a marker of how serious the Government is about achieving change.

Submission EOWW Web.pdf [42 KB]

AWC Submission on the New National Women's Health Policy

Date: June 2009

AWC has prepared a submission on the New National Women’s Health Policy (NWHP). The submission drew on clinical and social evidence relating to access and equity in women’s health policy nationally. It also drew on the diverse views of AWC member organisations collected at a national consultation forum held on 16-17 May 2009. The Australian Women’s Coalition strongly endorses the approach taken in the Consultation Discussion Paper3 in preparation for the new National Women’s Health Policy. The focus on the social determinants of health; gender and health inequity; social inclusion; preventive approaches and in particular, the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, migrant and refugee women are all timely evidence-based approaches to women’s health which are in line with the AWC's values and policies. The AWC also supports the consultation processes engaged with so far in preparation of the Policy.

AWC Womens Health Policy Submission.pdf [343 KB]

Submission to the Human Rights Consultation

Date: 30 June 2009

The Australian Women's Coalition prepared a brief submission detailing the ways in which AWC priority projects relate to the human rights consultation dialogue, including endorsement and support for submissions prepared by member and other associated women's organisations

Submission-AWC-NHRC-Web.pdf [112 KB]

Australian Women's Coalition Report on CSW

Date: 2009

According to the Australian Federation of Medical Women ‘while sex identifies biological differences between men and women, gender refers to the array of socially constructed roles, attitudes, behaviours and values that determine in a large measure men’s and women’s access to resources and power. Gender roles and power relations vary across cultures and through time and thus are amenable to change’.

Australian Women's Coalition Report on CSW 2009.pdf [349 KB]

Preparing For Healthy Ageing

Date: November 2008

This report brings together the two parts of the Preparing for Ageing Project carried out by the Australian Women’s Coalition through 2008. It begins by outlining the context and scope of the Healthy Ageing segment of the Project with reference to AWC’s previous work on social inclusion, and the current policy context and opportunities for input to Commonwealth policies and programs.

Preparing For Healthy Ageing November 2008.pdf [904 KB]

Ageing and Homelessness Survey

Date: 2008

This Consultation Project aims to survey a representative sample of Australian women with a view to understanding women’s experiences and risks of homelessness as they age. Through this consultation, the AWC aims to report back to the Australian Government Office for Women about the factors that lead to risks of homelessness as women age and offer policy suggestions to address these concerns.

Ageing and Homelessness Survey 2008.pdf [98 KB]

What Women Want

Date: June 2007

With support from over 60 Australian women’s organisations the National Foundation for Australian Women has conducted a round of consultations in Australia’s capital cities on the impact on women of changes to the industrial relations framework. The Australian Women’s Coalition was represented by member delegates at many of the round table consultations. AWC congratulates Marie Coleman and her team for this excellent initiative and report of outcomes.

What Women Want June 2007.pdf[101 KB]

AWC Women Leadership Project Report

Date: June 2007

During the first half of 2007 the Australian Women’s Coalition (AWC) undertook the Women’s Leadership Program project to explore aspects of Australian women’s leadership in paid and voluntary work, identified as a relevant issue by the AWC and the Office for Women.

AWC Women Leadership Project Report 2007.pdf [342 KB]

Sandwich Generation Research Project Report

Date: October 2005

Sandwich generation research project report 2005.pdf [263 KB]

The Caring Sandwich - Caring for Young & Old, the Price Women Pay

Date: August 2005

The aim of this research project was to investigate and report on the needs (met and unmet) of sandwich generation women (i.e., women who have dependent children and caring responsibilities for other family/extended family members) and older women carers. This research was undertaken in response to the needs of these women being brought to AWC by several member organizations, and because of the growing public awareness/concern for women in these groups. In addition, as part of AWC’s contractual obligation to the Office for Women, AWC was required to research and report on an issue of relevance to the women of Australia and contribute to OFW’s policy development in this area. This research project has served both of these important purposes.

The Caring Sandwich - Caring for Young & Old, the Price Women Pay August 2005.pdf [183 KB]

Gender Culture Competence Overview

Date: June 2005

The Achieving gender and cultural competence by Australia's medical workforce project is a collaboration of health, academic and cultural organisations to enable the medical workforce to be equipped with clinical skills to care for all women in Australia, irrespective of their cultural or linguistic background

Gender Cultural Competence - The community voices of women June 2005.pdf [148 KB]

Gender Cultural Competence Report

Date: June 2005

The aim of the project was to enable the medical workforce to be equipped with clinical skills to care for all women in Australia appropriate to any cultural background – that is, with ‘gender/cultural competence’

Gender Cultural Competence Report June 2005.pdf [417 KB]

Gender Cultural Competence - The Community Voices of Women

Date: June 2005

The aim of the study was to give women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, an opportunity to voice their opinions on the health care within a multicultural setting, to hear their views around this theme and what they felt was important for doctors to know in order for them to provide culturally acceptable care.

Gender Cultural Competence - The community voices of women June 2005.pdf [170 KB]

Grandparents Speech

Date: 2005

As you just heard, my name is Jess; I’m sixteen years old and in year 11. I am part of the Girl Guide movement and have just helped to establish a 14+ unit in South Canberra. I have three grandparents, my mum’s parents, and a Nana, my dads mum. Sadly my Darby, my dads dad past away in 1998 from cancer. I love my Grandparents very much and the reason I so readily agreed to speak to you all today was so I could show everyone just how much respect and love I have for them.

Grandparents Speech 2005.pdf [71 KB]

Anti-Trafficking Leading Practice Research Project

Date: 2004

In accordance with the contract between the Australian Women’s Coalition (AWC) and the Office of the Status of Women, the Australian Women’s Coalition undertook to do a research project and report on the findings of the research by the end of May 2004. The Australian Women’s Coalition elected to research and report on international anti-trafficking leading practice with respect to prevention/prosecution and with respect to support services for victims of trafficking.

AWC Trafficking research project 2004.pdf [176 KB]

A National Osteoporosis Prevention and Management Strategy

Date: May 2003

Current medical evidence shows that the incidence of osteoporosis in Australian women is rapidly increasing. This is having a negative impact on the health of those women affected by the condition, and is resulting in increased health care costs to both women and the Australian health care system. The Australian Women’s Coalition (AWC) is gravely concerned about this situation and recommends that the federal government adopt a national osteoporosis prevention and management strategy as outlined below. This strategy will result in the incidence of osteoporosis being reduced, and will lead to both an improvement in the quality of life of those women already affected by osteoporosis and a dramatic reduction in health care costs.

A National Osteoporosis Prevention and Management Strategy May 2003.pdf [137 KB]