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Web: www.wwda.org.au / Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
WWDA NEWS
Issue 1 2009
© ISSN: 1836-7739
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is the peak organisation for women with all types of disabilities in Australia. It is a not-for-profit organisation constituted and driven by women with disabilities. It is the only organisation of its kind in Australia and one of only a very small number internationally. WWDA is inclusive and does not discriminate against any disability. WWDA is unique, in that it operates as a national disability organisation; a national women's organisation; and a national human rights organisation (more information about WWDA can be found at the organisation’s extensive website: www.wwda.org.au). Please find below a brief Update Report from WWDA for the period January - March 2009. If you have any questions, or would like more information on anything in this report, please email Carolyn or Shirley at: . Previous Update Reports are available on the WWDA website at: www.wwda.org.au/bulletin.htm
In This Issue:
WWDA Strategic Planning Forum 2
Violence Prevention - Update 3
Australian Youth Ambassadors For Development Program (AYAD) 6
New National Women's Health Policy 7
State & Territory Women With Disabilities Networks 8
Study Report: ‘The Price We Pay’: Women, Disability and Emotion 9
Article: Building Better Lives for Young People in Nursing Homes 10
Disability Support Pensioners to Receive Increase in Pensions 12
Homelessness White Paper 12
ACSSA Research Project 13
Women with Disabilities in Development: International Roundtable 14
Pay Equity Inquiry Hearings 16
WWDA Annual Report & Summary 16
Resources – Books, Reports, Websites, Lists 17
News Wanted For WWDA-News! 21
WWDA Letter to Federal Health Minister 21
Feedback Letter to WWDA re Violence Prevention Work 22
Join WWDA! 23
1. WWDA STRATEGIC PLANNING FORUM
In late February 2009, the WWDA Management Committee and staff came together in Hobart for three days for WWDA’s Strategic Planning forum. The forum, facilitated by Dr Leanne Dowse from the University of New South Wales, saw the WWDA Committee and staff begin the development of WWDA’s five year Strategic Plan for 2010-2015.
This meeting was the first time WWDA Management Committee and staff had been able to meet face to face in more than 5 years. We were fortunate to receive a small, one-off funding grant from the Australian Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) to enable the forum to take place. It is unfortunate that the amount of WWDA’s operational funding does not extend to enable face to face meetings of the WWDA Management Committee. WWDA is hopeful of securing an increase in our operational grant from FaCHSIA to allow at least one face to face meeting of our Management Committee per year.
Some of the members of WWDA’s Management Committee at the Forum. From left: Sheila King, Sue Salthouse, Sam Jenkinson, Rayna Lamb, Margie Charlesworth.
The planning process included an analysis of the international and national policy contexts in which WWDA conducts its work. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which entered into force in Australia in August 2008, is a critical development that will frame WWDA’s 2010-2015 Strategic Plan.
WWDA Staff: Carolyn Frohmader (L) and Shirley Raspin
The new Plan will also reflect the priority and emerging policy issues which have been identified and raised by our members. These priority issues include for example: violence against women with disabilities including unlawful sterilization; women’s health with particular focus on cervical screening, breast screening and screening for Osteoporosis; and issues relating to reproductive rights and parenting for women with disabilities.
The new Strategic Plan will also reflect WWDA’s growing profile at an international level and will focus on ways WWDA can increase its capacity to support women with disabilities internationally, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
WWDA’s key role in the production and dissemination of high quality information, publications and research on issues relevant to women with disabilities will also be reflected in the new Strategic Plan. The importance of preserving archival and historical material related to women with disabilities will also be addressed within the Plan.
WWDA Management Committee member Vicki Alipasinopoulos at work on her Braille machine at the Forum
The three day WWDA Strategic Planning forum also included an information and refresher session on Governance, and addressed areas where WWDA will update and further develop its internal policies and procedures to promote the effective functioning of the organisation. This will include the establishment of quality improvement mechanisms and processes to aid WWDA in its quest to be recognised as an organisation of excellence.
WWDA Committee members enjoying dinner at Marque IV
The Strategic Planning Forum was a great success and was capped off with a wonderful dinner function at one of Hobart’s premier restaurants, Marque IV.
The WWDA Strategic Plan for 2010-2015 is currently being compiled, and will be published later this year.
2. VIOLENCE PREVENTION - UPDATE
2.1. WWDA Wins Violence Prevention Awards
During 2006-2008 Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) undertook a ground-breaking and innovative project which focused on the development and production of accessible information, education and training resources about violence against disabled women. The Project culminated in the WWDA Resource Manual on Violence Against Women With Disabilities, published in December 2007
WWDA delegates receiving the Violence Prevention Awards. From left: Carolyn Frohmader, Sue Salthouse, Minister for Police Jim Cox,
and Annie Parkinson
WWDA’s work in the area of violence prevention was recognized in late 2008 with the organization being awarded two significant Violence Prevention Awards. WWDA received a Certificate of Merit and a monetary award of $3000 under the Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards. These National Awards reward good practice in the prevention or reduction of violence and other types of crimes in Australia, to encourage public initiatives and to assist governments in identifying and developing practical projects that will reduce violence and other types of crime in the community. WWDA was also the State winner of the Tasmanian Women’s Safety Award under the Tasmanian Crime Prevention & Community Safety Awards, which acknowledge outstanding contributions to crime prevention and community safety in the Tasmanian community.
Both the Awards were presented to WWDA by the Tasmanian Minister for Police, at a ceremony held in Tasmania on 10 December 2008.
2.2. UNIFEM Releases Facts & Figures on Violence Against Women
As part of its Say NO to Violence against Women Campaign, the United Nations Development Fund (UNIFEM) released a Facts & Figures article on violence against women. As a preface, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon commented on the truly global nature of this problem, saying “violence against women and girls continues unabated in every continent, country and culture.” Article topics include Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence, Sexual Violence, Harmful Traditional Practices, Trafficking in Women and Girls, HIV/AIDS and Violence, Crimes against Women in Situations of Armed Conflict, and Violence against Women as a Human Rights Violation. The UNIFEM Facts & Figures article can be downloaded from:
http://www.stopvaw.org/UNIFEM_Releases_Facts_Figures_on_Violence_Against_Women.html
Alternatively, if you would like a copy emailed to you, please contact WWDA at
2.3. Australia - National Violence Action Plan - Update
Throughout 2008, the National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children undertook consultations around the country to inform the development of a National Plan of Action to reduce the incidence and impact of domestic and family violence and sexual assault on women and their children. Consultations were conducted with service providers, policy makers, program managers, academics, legal practitioners, and victims, survivors and perpetrators of domestic and family violence and sexual assault. Summary reports from the consultations were developed. For ease of access to members, WWDA compiled the summary reports into one document (available in Word and/or PDF) which can be emailed on request, or alternatively, downloaded from the WWDA website at: www.wwda.org.au/viol.htm If you would like a copy emailed to you, please contact WWDA at
The National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children has presented an advance copy of Time for Action: The National Council's Plan for Australia to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2009-2021 to the Minister for the Status of Women, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP. The Minister expressed her thanks to the Council for its work and said the Government will now consider the Plan before releasing it publicly. For more information on the National Plan, go to:
http://www.ofw.fahcsia.gov.au/reducing_violence/national_plan/index.htm
2.4. New South Wales Strategic Framework on Domestic and Family Violence
The NSW Government is undertaking work to develop a new state-wide Strategic Framework on Domestic and Family Violence. The Framework will guide action across agencies and improve the coordination and delivery of services. The first step in the process was the release of a Discussion Paper ‘NSW Domestic and Family Violence Strategic Framework’. The Paper describes domestic and family violence based on the Australian and international research literature, describes the domestic and family violence response as it currently exists in NSW, describes some of the strengths in that response and many of the known weaknesses, and asks for input on ways that the response might be improved.
Written submissions to the paper closed at the end of March 2009, however, as part of the development of the Strategic Framework, consultations will be held across NSW during 2009.
WWDA has contributed to the Strategic Framework Discussion Paper by providing a copy of our recent Submission to the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Children and requesting that the issues and recommendations raised by WWDA in the Submission, are considered in the development of the NSW state-wide Strategic Framework on Domestic and Family Violence.
For more information on the Strategic Framework and the consultations, contact:
Violence Prevention Coordination Unit
Office for Women’s Policy
Ph: 02 9228 3141
Email:
Web: www.women.nsw.gov.au
WWDA’s Submission to the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Children can be accessed on the WWDA website at: http://www.wwda.org.au/subs2006.htm If you would like a copy emailed to you, please contact WWDA at
2.5. ‘Words to Action’: UN electronic newsletter on violence against women
Words to Action is a quarterly newsletter produced by the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (UNDAW), and is intended to serve as a vehicle for more effective information-sharing on new initiatives and good practices in preventing and addressing violence against women. The first edition was produced in October 2008. For more information or to subscribe:
Email:
Subject: “e-newsletter”
If you would like a copy emailed to you, please contact WWDA at
2.6. Launch of the United Nations database on violence against women
In October 2006, the Secretary-General of the United Nations launched his in-depth study: Ending violence against women - From words to action. In response, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a comprehensive resolution calling for an intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women. It also requested the Secretary-General to create a coordinated database on violence against women.
The United Nations database on violence against women was officially launched in early March 2000 at the UN Headquarters in New York. The database contains information on measures undertaken by States to address violence against women in a range of areas, including for example: legislation, policies and programmes, services for women victims/survivors of violence, research, data, promising practices, and more. The information on the database is searchable by: Region (global, regional, national); Measures undertaken; Forms of violence addressed; and, Year measure was undertaken.
At this stage, Australia is not included on the database. WWDA has written to the Minister for Women, Hon Tanya Plibersek, to seek clarification on whether and when the Australian Government will contribute to the database. For more information, and to access the database, go to:
http://webapps01.un.org/vawdatabase/home.action
2.7. New Research Funded
The Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse has been funded by the Australian Government (through the Commonwealth Office for Women) to undertake empirical research on ways to promote women’s financial security during and following abusive relationships. Interviews and focus groups with women victim/survivors and workers from community-based services will be held in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. The Clearinghouse will then work with individual services to develop response strategies.
The Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse provides access to national and international research, resources, practice, policies and legislation for those working in the area of domestic and family violence. The Clearinghouse maintains a website with two searchable databases on Research and Resources, and Good Practice. The website also features current news about conferences and events, and links to services providing assistance to victims and survivors of violence. You can subscribe to publications free of charge online, by phone (02 9385 2990), or by emailing For more information go to: www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au
2.8. Online Learning Tools on Violence Against Women
This collection provides a sampling of available Online Learning Tools with subject matter related to violence against women prevention and intervention. Materials included in this collection have four key components: they are 1) free, 2) available online, 3) interactive, and 4) self-guided. The resources listed in the Collection can be used for the purposes of staff development (by individuals), or as tools for trainers (in groups). This Special Collection provides a discussion of considerations for using Online Learning Tools, including potential applications and benefits and limitations. Tools include: Online Classes/Tutorials/Courses, Slideshows & PowerPoint Presentations, Podcasts/Audio, Videos, Web Conferences, Toolkits, Quizzes, and more. The Collection was developed by the United States National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) and the US National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC).
Go to: http://new.vawnet.org/category/index_pages.php?category_id=867
2.9. Journal Article: Intimate Partner Violence and Women with Disabilities