YWCA Australia is a national association of the World YWCA one of the world’s oldest and largest women’s organisation represented in 122 countries, with a global outreach of 25 million worldwide.
The vision of YWCA Australia is of a fully inclusive world where peace, justice, freedom, human dignity, reconciliation and diversity are promoted and sustained through women’s leadership.
YWCA Australia is a women’s membership organisation nourished by its roots in the Christian faith and sustained by the richness of many beliefs and values. Strengthened by diversity the YWCA draws together members who strive to create opportunities for growth, leadership and empowerment in order to attain a common vision: peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all people.
We have a special focus on working for and with young women and fostering the development of young women's leadership. For example we require 30% of all decision making boards within YWCA Australia to be women under 30.
In Australia, the YWCA is represented in over 100 sites in all States and Territories, and currently delivers services to more than a quarter of a million women, men and children each year, throughout rural, regional and metropolitan Australia.
Staff at YWCA Australia
Acting Executive Director
Caroline Lambert
Caroline Lambert comes to the YWCA after a long involvement in women's human-rights issues, both domestically and internationally. She co-founded the Women's Rights Action Network Australia (with Barbara Palmer) in 1998, was involved with Amnesty International for many years, and is a past chair of Women's Housing Limited in Victoria.
Caroline is interested in applying the principles and processes associated with UN human rights treaties to work in our community: for example, through the Australia-wide CEDAW reporting project and as a worker for the groundbreaking "From Rhetoric to Reality: Making Human Rights Work for Service Delivery" conference in 2002. She is completing her PhD on the integration of trade issues into the CEDAW reporting process. She is the co-author of "Critical Chatter: Women and Human Rights Activism in South East Asia" and co-edited "Global Issues, Women and Justice".
WomenSpeak
Kathy Richards
Kathy has spent eight years working in human rights in the non government sector, including as Campaign Coordinator for Amnesty International Australia, Human Rights Policy Coordinator for the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and Convenor of the Australian Forum of Human Rights Organisations (AFHRO). Previous research work includes an extensive investigation of community-based ant-corruption programs for the anti-corruption movement Transparency International. Currently Kathy is a Branch Committee member for Amnesty International Australia ACT/Southern NSW region, and convenor of the ACT Women's Rights Team. Kathy is also a member of the FECCA Women's Policy Committee.
Based in Canberra, Kathy is mother to a young son, creating a busy but fun juggling between home and work.
World Council
Susan Brennan Candidate for President, World YWCA, 2007
Susan began her life in the YWCA as a young woman leader on the board of her
local association in Melbourne, Australia. During her time on her local board, the
YWCA completed the renovation of its hotel, established and resourced a dedicated
program for young women run by young women and witnessed a significant period of
change in the culture, programmes and advocacy of her association. More information about Susan