Identifying the Hidden Disaster: The First Australian Conference and Natural Disasters and Family Violence with international keynote speakers

The Conference on Identifying Hidden Disaster is creating enormous interest. It will be the first Australian conference on natural disasters and family violence and will be held in Melbourne on 9th March 2012.

Keynote speakers are international US expert Elaine Enarson and Manager of the refuge in Christchurch, NZ Lois Herbert. New research on family violence after Black Saturday will be presented, entitled The Way He Tells It.

A panel comprising representatives from the key emergency response and family violence sectors will be facilitated by Nelly Thomas, and workshops will conclude the day.

This is an initiative of WHIN, Women's Health Goulburn North East (WHGNE) and the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse.

Booking details here.

WHIN Leads the Way...

Over 60 people from healthcare organisations, local government and more attended the Health Promotion and Sustainability Forum held at Sustainability Victoria on 8 November, 2011. The keynote speakers outlined the links between healthcare, climate change and sustainability more broadly. They were followed by a panel of practitioners who discussed the learnings from their project.

The Health Promotion and Sustainability Report, launched at this forum features WHIN as one of the organisations leading the way! Our Chairperson, Kristine Olaris, was one of the panellists.

The full report and an executive summary are available online.

Gender Analysis Tool

WHIN has developed the Gender Analysis Tool to assist organisations and policy, program and health planners to produce work that is 'gender sensitive'. That is, to produce policies and services which acknowledge that women and men have different experiences, needs and access to wealth, resources and decision-making opportunities. This tool helps to draw attention to these differences, recognising that specific initiatives and resources may be required to rectify what is often a marginalised position for women.

The tool was primarily developed for use within local government and health promotion sectors, however it does have applicability beyond these areas.

The Gender Analysis Tool contains a brief rationale for why gender should be considered in planning, policy and service development; a 'Gender Analysis Planning Tool' which inclues a list of gender analysis prompts to consider at each step of a policy and project development process; and an 'Organisational Gender Checklist' to assist organisations in measuring and improving their approach to gender sensitive practice.

Women's Health In the North has released its 2nd Data Book on Women in Melbourne's North. This extensive e-book - presented in two volumes - is essential for anyone planning programs or services for women in Banyule, Darebin, Hume, Moreland, Yarra, Whittlesea and Nillumbik.

Use the sex-disaggregated data to:

• access current information on local women
• guide gender-specific health and wellbeing planning
• improve health outcomes
• begin to address the structural inequalities that limit women's lives

Women's in Melbourne's North - A Data Book - Volume 1

Women's in Melbourne's North - A Data Book - Volume 2

Building a Respectful Community provides a regional framework for the primary prevention of violence against women.  It promotes a systematic regional approach to effect change and to build a respectful community where women are not subject to violence. 

The strategy outlines primary prevention actions that can be undertaken by organisations in the northern metropolitan region, individually or in partnership.  The document provides a context and evidence base for this work as well as an Action Plan which outlines a range of activities that can be undertaken.

To read this document click here.

Become a Member!

Join Women’s Health In the North (WHIN) and you will become part of a dynamic community of women dedicated to supporting women’s voice, choice and power in all aspects of their health and wellbeing.

Sign up as a member today via our automated membership registration.

Current WHIN E-NEWS

Women’s Health In the North keeps members, affiliates, supporters and the community up-to-date with our news via our monthly WHIN E-NEWS. View this month's edition.