Women's Policy, Research & Resource Links
This page contains links to some of the key women's policy, strategy and research websites. Please use our feedback page to suggest additional links.
Victorian Government Policy
Women's Policy Framework 2008-2011
The Women’s Policy Framework is a Victorian whole-of-government policy for women released by the Office of Women’s Policy. It is structured around the themes of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). These themes are justice and safety; education, work and economic independence; health, wellbeing and community strengthening; and representation and equity.
Other publications from the Office of Women's Policy include previous women's policy frameworks, progress reports and factsheets.
Women's Health & Wellbeing Strategy
The Women's Health & Wellbeing Strategy Stage 2: 2006 - 2010 guides policy and program development across a broad range of Department of Human Services responsibilities.
Women's Safety Strategy
In 2002, the Victorian Government developed its Women’s Safety Strategy, a five-year plan to guide coordinated action across government to reduce the level and fear of violence against women. The Office of Women's Policy is currently preparing the next iteration of the Women's Safety Strategy for 2008-2012.
Family Violence - Office of Women's Policy
This website provides direct access to Victorian government information on family violence including the implementation of a significant family violence reform program. It also provides information for people wanting to know about where to seek help and advice.
Victorian Indigenous Family Violence 10 Year Plan
The ten-year strategic plan, 'Strong Culture, Strong Peoples, Strong Families Towards a safer future for Indigenous families and communities', is the result of a partnership between the Victorian government and Victoria's Indigenous community to address Indigenous family violence.
Preventing Violence Before it Occurs: A framework and background paper to guide the primary prevention of violence against women in Victoria
This is the Victorian government's evidence-based framework to support future efforts to prevent violence against women. The State Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women will build on this.
Development of a State Plan to Prevent Violence against Women: 2010-2020
The Office of Women’s Policy is currently developing the State Plan to Prevent Violence against Women, which will provide a ten-year, whole-of-government framework. It is anticipated that the State Plan will be completed by the end of 2009.
Better Pathways: an integrated response to women’s offending and re-offending
This is a four-year strategy developed in response to the significant growth in Victoria’s women prisoner population over the past decade.
Because Mental Health Matters: Victorian Mental Health Reform Strategy 2009–2019
This strategy is a whole-of-government ten-year plan for mental health. Implementation of this agenda has already begun, beginning with a rage of initiatives announced in the 2008-09 Victorian State Budget.
A Fairer Victoria 2009: Standing together through tough times
A Fairer Victoria is a whole-of-government social policy action plan and is part of a long-term commitment to reducing disadvantage. This year, A Fairer Victoria contains major investments in mental health, out-of-home care, disability services and Indigenous health.
Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities
This Charter was enacted by Parliament in 2006 and focuses on civil and political rights.
top of pageFederal Government Policy
Development of a New National Women's Health Policy
In 2009, the Federal Government released a paper outlining the aims of a new National Women's Health Policy. The policy will focus on encouraging specific health services for women and actively promoting participation of women in health decision making and management. The consultation process has now come to an end and the National Women's Health Policy is currently being developed.
Time for Action: The National Council’s Plan for Australia to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2009-2021
The Time for Action Plan sets out a framework for the Federal Government for social change to reduce violence against women.
National Mental Health Policy 2008
This is a strategic framework to support improved mental health outcomes for people at risk of or experiencing mental health problems or mental illness.
The Road Home: White Paper on Homelessness
This White Paper sets the Australian Government's strategic agenda for reducing homelessness through to 2020. It recognises that domestic and family violence is the principle cause of homelessness among women.
Federal Discrimination Law (FDL) Online
FDL Online is the online version of Federal Discrimination Law. It is updated to reflect the latest developments in federal discrimination law.
Overview of the Australian Government's Same-Sex Law Reforms
This website provides an overview of the recent reforms introduced by the Australian Government to remove discrimination enabling same-sex couples and their children to be recognised by Commonwealth law.
Australia's combined sixth and seventh report on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
In December 2008 the Australian Government lodged the sixth and seventh reports on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) with the UN. The Australian NGO Shadow Report is available here.
A Healthier Future for All Australians
In July 2009, the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission has released its final report, A Healthier Future for All Australians, with recommendations for the Government.
Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society
The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS) is an independent research unit within the Faculty of Health Sciences at La Trobe University. ARCSHS is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and applied skills in sexual health research and education locally, nationally and internationally.
Key Centre for Women's Health in Society
The Key Centre is part of the University of Melbourne School of Population Health. It aims to improve women's health by ensuring that a women's health perspective is incorporated into research, teaching, policy and practice in Australia and internationally.
Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault
The Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault (ACSSA) has been developed to improve access to current information on all forms of sexual assault; particularly the sexual assault of women and girls over 15 years of age.
Women's Health Australia
The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (also known as Women's Health Australia) is a longitudinal population-based survey examining the health of over 40,000 Australian women over a 20 year period. The study is conducted by researchers and staff at the Priority Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing at the University of Newcastle and the School of Population Health at the University of Queensland.
Wellbeing Index
The Australian Centre on Quality of Life at Deakin University undertakes regular surveys to measure the wellbeing of Australians. Data is reported by gender and age.
top of pageInternational Resources
United Nations:
- Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
World Health Organisation:
- Madrid Statement: mainstreaming gender equity in health
- Gender, Women and Health program
- Commission on Social Determinants of Health Final Report: Closing the gap in a generation (pdf)
- Gender Analysis in Health: A review of selected tools (pdf)
The Source, the Survey and the Synthesis
The Source is a Canadian directory designed to assist researchers, policy makers, health planners, and students identify and access sources of health data for women and girls in Canada. The Survey contains a range of resources on women’s health, including international, national, and provincial documents. The Synthesis is a hybrid of The Source and The Survey that provides an analysis of women's health issues in Canada.
Women's Health Victoria Clearinghouse
The Women's Health Victoria Clearinghouse collects English language resources relating to women's health. It holds a specialised collection of print and online resources that reflect a social model of health with a focus on gendered information for health professionals.
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