Patron
'Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia'
Questions to Major Political Parties on Women’s Health and Well-being
With the Federal election date set for 14 September this year, in mid-March the Australian Women’s Health Network sent the letter below asking the 4 major political parties what they would do for women’s health and well-being if in Government. Responses to these questions will be published on the AWHN website as soon as these are received.
Dear (party leader)
In the lead up to the Federal election September 2013, the Australian Women’s Health Network (AWHN) invites your party to respond to a series of questions regarding women’s health and gender equity.
AWHN is a not-for-profit organisation which has provided a national voice on women’s health for over 25 years. AWHN was instrumental in the development of Australia’s first National Women’s Health Policy in 1989 and again in 2008 when the AWHN Position Paper ‘Women’s Health – the New National Agenda’ prompted the development of the current National Women’s Health Policy, launched in 2010.
This invitation to respond to women’s health and gender issues and to have these promoted through AWHN is being extended to other political Parties.
The seven questions to which AWHN seeks your response are:
1. What is your political party policy on funding hospital and primary care health services?
2. In government, what action will your party take to consult with women and make them central to health reform proposals?
3. In government, what action will your party take to infuse gender analysis, gender sensitive research, women's perspectives and gender equity goals into policies, projects and institutional ways of working?
4. In government, what action will your party take to protect the sexual and reproductive health rights of women and improve health outcomes in this area?
5. In government, what action will your party take for mental health reform that:
· addresses the specific needs of women
· includes strategies that simultaneously support the prevention of mental illnesses. and
· increase the overall well-being of women living with existing mental health conditions?
6. In government, what action will your party take to put into place a comprehensive women’s health policy and funded program?
7. In government, what action will your party take to achieve gender equity across the social determinants of health?
Your party’s responses to the proposed questions by Wednesday 31 July would be appreciated for subsequent distribution and posting on the AWHN website in August.
The attached Appendix provides background contextual information regarding these questions and references the four AWHN Position Papers available on the AWHN website www.awhn.org.au namely: Women and Health Reform; Women and Health and Wellbeing; Women and Mental Health; and Women and Sexual and Reproductive Health.
To view the background information click here: Appendix 1
To view the Positions Papers click here: AWHN Position Papers 2012 Women and Health Reform (2012) Position Paper word Women and Health and Well-Being (2012) Position Paper pdf Women and Health and Well-Being (2012) Position Paper word Women and Mental Health (2012) Position Paper pdf Women and Mental Health (2012) Position Paper word For further information and to discuss potential collaborative opportunities to progress action on any of the recommendations contact: info@awhn.org.au AWHN made a submission to the Senate Inquiry into Involuntary or Coerced Sterilisation of People with Disabilities in Australia. The submission argued that the sterilisation of women and girls with a disability in the absence of informed consent, except in circumstances where there is a serious threat to health or life, is a clear breach of their inalienable human rights and called on the Federal Government to fulfil Australia’s obligations under international treaties and instruments by undertaking immediate legislative reform to protect these rights. The full submission can be found here: AWHN Submission - Senate Committee Inquiry WHO Commission SDoH Report pdf
Presentations made at the 7th Australian Women’s Conference ‘Gender Matters: Determining Women’s Health’ are now available.
To view all presentations made at the Conference held in Sydney 7 – 10 May 2013, that we have received permission to publish, please go to http://www.womenshealth2013.org.au/presentations/
AWHN Strategic Framework 2013-2016
You can find the new AWHN Strategic Framework 2013-2016 under Guiding Documents to your left or click here
New Position Papers Released
Women and Sexual and Reproductive Health (2012) Position Paper pdf
Women and Sexual and Reproductive Health (2012) Position Paper word
Women and Health Reform (2012) Position Paper pdf
New Submissions Released
For further information and to discuss potential collaborative opportunities to progress action on any of the recommendations contact: info@awhn.org.au