Our Work
We focus on translating evidence into action; leading to positive change.
How we work
We believe that collaboration is key to driving meaningful change in our region.
When we bring our expertise, influence and resources together, we become a powerful force for progress.
Achieving gender equality is not something that will occur quickly or easily, and, as a single organisation, Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West, can’t do it alone.
The development of effective partnerships between varied sectors is essential as many of the determinants of health are outside the realm of the health sector and addressing them requires collaboration and partnerships with these sectors.
When we bring our expertise, influence and resources together, we become a powerful force for progress.
Knowledge translation is defined as “The synthesis, exchange, and application of knowledge by relevant stakeholders to accelerate the benefits of global and local innovation in strengthening health systems and improving people’s health.”
Knowledge derived from research and experience may be of little value unless it is put into practice, known as the “know-do” gap. Therefore, there is a need to ensure that research into gender equity, the prevention of violence against women before it occurs, and women’s sexual and reproductive health rights and choice is effectively translated into local policy and practice.
As the gender equity and women’s empowerment content experts for Barwon South West, WHWBSW has a major role to play in enhancing Knowledge Translation and bridging the know–do gap for our partners across the Barwon South West.
How the evidence, policies, initiatives and campaigns for advancing gender equity and addressing the gendered drivers of violence translate into localised practice is still emerging. Therefore, WHWBSW has a lead role in monitoring and evaluating prevention efforts within the Barwon South West region.
This work has three purposes:
1. Helping our partners know if they are making progress towards gender equality; 2. Sharing local stories to help build the capacity of others; and 3. Ensuring that the stories of our partners efforts start contributing to the state and national evidence base.
Counting on change: A guide to prevention monitoring (Our Watch, 2017)
A guide for policy-makers, researchers, and advocates on measuring population-level progress towards the prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia.
Victoria’s Gender Equality Outcomes Framework (State of Victoria – Department of Premier and Cabinet, 2019)
includes Victoria’s Gender Equality Baseline Report 2019 (the Baseline Report), which provides a set of measures against which progress towards gender equality outcomes in Victoria will be monitored over time.
How we lead: Advocacy.
State and national plans, policies, institutions and budgets are where governments begin to translate commitments to women into practical progress towards gender equality. Too often, however, they overlook measures to ensure that public services respond to women’s needs and priorities.
Our advocacy (leadership) efforts are focussed on:
- Ensuring regional women’s diverse voices are reflected in policy;
- Ensuring policy and research is gender equitable and addresses the needs and experiences of all women;
- Transparent and adequate public financing for gender equality, including the adoption of gender-responsive budgets; that channel adequate resources to both women and men;
- Advancing gender equity within Victoria to promote better health outcomes for women;
- Preventing violence against women before it occurs; and
- Ensuring women are informed and empowered to make autonomous decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.
WHWBSW also supports external campaigns that are aligned with our vision.
GEN VIC Submission to the Victorian Government State Budget 21/22 “Towards A Gender Equal Recovery”
WHWBSW contributed to the development of this submission released by our peak body, Gender Equity Victoria (GEN VIC), along with 41 other expert gender equality organisations.
Our work
Gender equality is the process of treating everyone equally and providing the same resources, opportunities and supports, regardless of gender.
Gender equity is where those who are more disadvantaged are given more resources, opportunities and supports to be able to access the same outcomes as the group who are at a greater advantage already. Gender equity approaches aim to increase the likelihood of gender equality.
We take a gendered approach to our work in health promotion from a feminist framework that aims to address many of the underlying inequities in systems and structures that negatively impact women’s health and wellbeing.
Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West is a member of the Action for Gender Equality Partnership, a panel of providers selected to support public sector organisations to implement actions and meet obligations of the Gender Equality Act, 202.
The Act requires that all defined entities meet the following obligations:
- Promote gender equality
- Conduct gender impact assessments
- Undertake a workplace gender audit
- Create a Gender Equality Action Plan
- Report on progress
Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West support organisations to complete these tasks, as well as encouraging workplaces to further address Gender Inequality at a societal level.
The Commision for Gender Eqaulity
View our Gender Equality resources here
Violence against women is now recognised to be a serious and widespread health problem in Australia, with enormous individual and community impacts as well as social costs.
View our Prevention of Violence Against Women Resources
Respect 2040 is a collective movement to bring together community members, businesses, groups, clubs, and organisations across south-west Victoria to work towards a vision for a thriving, equal community.
Violence against women is defined as any act of gender-based violence that causes or could cause physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of harm or coercion, in public or in private life.
As this definition makes clear, violence against women is not only or always physical. It includes psychological, economic, emotional and sexual violence and abuse, and a wide range of controlling, coercive and intimidating behaviours. It affects women in all communities regardless of socio-economic status, culture or race.
This significant social problem is highly prevalent in Australia and around the world, however it is also ultimately preventable.
Key Stats on violence against women in Australia
On average, one woman a week is murdered by her current or former partner
1 in 3 Australian women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15. 1 in 4 Australian women has experienced emotional abuse by a current or former partner. 1 in 5 Australian women has experienced sexual violence.
Current evidence from the national organisation, Our Watch, details four main drivers of violence against women as outlined in their Change the Story Framework: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence.
They are:
- Condoning of violence against women
- Men’s control of decision-making and limits to women’s independence in public and private life
- Rigid gender roles and stereotyped constructions of masculinity and femininity
- Male peer relations that emphasise aggression and disrespect towards women
- As a primary prevention organisation, our work aims to address these drivers in order to prevent violence against women.
More information on the Change the story framework can be found on the Our Watch website
WHWBSW are committed to ensuring all women in the BSW region experience good sexual and reproductive health, being a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being in all matters relating to the reproductive system
Women deserve to have a satisfying and safe sex life and the capability to reproduce if, when and how often they decide to. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, including experiencing pleasurable and safe sex that is free of coercion, discrimination and violence.
Women residing in regional and rural communities experience inferior access to sexual and reproductive health services than women who live in metro communities. Women in the Barwon South West region face multiple barriers, lack of knowledge and access to services. Barriers that women face include:
Availability access to services locally, including opening times and access in a timely manner.
Travel distance to services and lack of transport e.g. public transport or suitable arrangements.
Cost high costs of services and associated prescriptions(i.e. contraception). Although an issue worldwide, it is amplified for women who need to consider associated costs such as travel and time required to travel.
Privacy individuals feel their needs and choices may be observed and judged, particularly in small communities where people know each other.
Information lack of information and up to date information for both women and medical professionals. Particularly relevant to modern termination services/information and sex education.
Professional attitudes and skills providers may not offer full services for all clients based on their personal skills or attitudes.
Community and client attitudes stigma surrounding those who access services, particularly in communities where people know each other
Lack of service availability can have a negative consequence to women’s sexual and reproductive health. This is amplified for women residing in rural areas, who must travel great distances to access health services.
WHWBSW are committed to fulfilling the Victorian Government’s Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Key Priorities 2017-2021, that are aligned with identified gaps and barriers women face in the BSW region. Our current and future projects aim to bridge these gaps identified, such as:
- Knowledge and accessibility to available services
- Knowledge and access to reproductive choices
- Knowledge and awareness of sexually transmissible infections