Media Release
Canberra, Australia – YWCA Canberra, a longstanding leader in advancing women’s rights, will continue to deliver the National Women’s Safety Alliance (NWSA) and will now also support the National Women’s Equality Alliance (NWEA), as announced today by Senator the Honourable Katy Gallagher, Minister for Women.
“YWCA Canberra warmly welcomes the establishment of the Working with Women Alliance program, which signifies a pivotal advancement in addressing urgent issues affecting women and gender-diverse individuals across Australia” Frances Crimmins CEO YWCA Canberra
Since its inception in 2021, the NWSA has driven critical policy reforms to combat gender-based violence, lift sector resourcing and essential law reform. This program highlights the importance of unified efforts to foster safety and equality for women and gender-diverse communities nationwide.
Building upon the outstanding foundational work of the Equality Rights Alliance, the National Women’s Equality Alliance (NWEA), will maintain a strong emphasis on economic security and rights. The Alliance’s opt-in membership model preserves its economic advocacy expertise, with a heightened focus on developing policies that enable women to lead safe and prosperous lives.
By fostering a coordinated response, the Alliances, now combined under the name ”Working with Women” will champion a solution that addresses the entire range of barriers affecting women’s lives. The Working with Women program will unify existing advocacy frameworks and key relationships to provide the government with coordinated, impactful policy advice. This alignment ensures a comprehensive focus on Economic security, Paid and unpaid labour, Gender based violence and health and leadership, reinforcing the understanding that women’s safety and economic empowerment are inseparable components of achieving gender equality.
“This commitment to interconnected policy work ensures a stronger, more resilient path forward for women in all their diversity, in Australia” Frances Crimmins CEO YWCA Canberra
Working with Women will work closely with government, women’s civil society organisations, academia and women with lived experience to drive policy reforms and social change that address women’s safety and economic equality as interlinked issues. We congratulate our colleagues Women with Disabilities Australia, National Rural Womens Coalition, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance and Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia and look forward to continued collaboration on intersectional policy advice to government for women in all their diversity.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Eleanor Sander O’Hearn
Executive Director Communications Advocacy Engagement
Eleanor.sanderohearn@ywca-canberra.org.au
0475 240 101