The National Women’s Alliances play a key role in ensuring women’s voices are central in the policy development process by providing evidence based, intersectional gender equality advice and civil society expertise to government on areas of most impact and influence to Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality. Five National Women’s Alliances will collaborate with the Office for Women and government to inform policy and decision making on the following priority areas:
- gender-based violence
- women’s economic equality and leadership
- migrant and refugee and culturally and linguistically diverse women
- First Nations women
- women living in rural, regional and remote areas of Australia
- women with disability.
The following National Women’s Alliances will operate from 2 December 2024:
- Working with Women Alliance
- National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Alliance
- National Rural Women's Coalition
- Women With Disabilities Australia
- Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia – leading a new migrant and refugee and culturally and linguistically diverse women's Alliance.
Working with Women Alliance
Led by YWCA Canberra, the Working with Women Alliance represents two key portfolios: National Women’s Safety (NWS) and National Women’s Equality (NWE). The new Working with Women Alliance connects the critical areas of addressing gender-based violence and the advancement of women’s economic equality and leadership, connecting these important policy fields for greatest national impact.
To find out more, visit National Women's Safety Alliance
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Alliance
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance (NATSIWA) empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to have a stronger voice in the domestic and international policy advocacy process. In particular, NATSIWA promotes the views and voices of women from marginalised and disadvantaged groups that have, in the past, found it difficult to engage in advocacy and decision making.
To find out more, visit The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance
The National Rural Women's Coalition
The National Rural Women’s Coalition (NRWC) is a national network of rural, regional and remote women, organisations and allies. The NRWC is leading transformational change through evidence based solutions and the stories of rural, regional and remote women’s experience by and for, rural, regional and remote women. They offer policy advice to government on matters relevant to the views and circumstances of rural, regional and remote women and girls in all their diversity.
To find out more visit the National Rural Women's Coalition website.
Women with Disabilities Australia
Women with Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is the national representative organisation run by and for women, girls and gender-diverse people with disabilities. WWDA works to promote and advance the human rights, safety and wellbeing of women, girls, and gender-diverse people with disabilities in all of their diversity. As a National Women’s Alliance, WWDA represents and advocates for the interests of women, girls and gender-diverse people with disabilities to inform government policies and programs in advancing gender equality in Australia. WWDA has a particular focus on decision-making and agency, participation and leadership, prevention of all forms of violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and economic security and social protection.
To find out more visit the Women with Disabilities Australia website.
Migrant and Refugee and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Women Alliance
The new Migrant and Refugee and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Women Alliance is led by the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA). It reframes how equity and inclusion in gender equality are addressed, by promoting and consistently applying an intersectional life course approach, working with and for diverse groups of women through robust, trauma-informed approaches.
Evaluation of the National Women’s Alliances Model
In 2023, the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at The Australian National University was commissioned by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to assess the suitability of the National Women’s Alliances model, in partnership with the Office for Women. The evaluation report examines the model’s suitability as a vehicle for bringing women’s voices to the Australian Government and informing policy development.
To find out more, visit the Evaluation of the National Women’s Alliance.