YWCA Australia often writes submissions and letters to Australian governments and others about changes to laws and government policies and programs.

As well as producing our own submissions, YWCA also endorses submissions prepared by networks we belong to that put our case to government.

We also support projects that take the issues of women and girls in Australia to the United Nations (UN).

Read some of our submissions and letters and find out about some of our UN work:

Our latest submissions

Women on ASX corporate boards 

Increasing the number of women on boards and in senior management, and increasing women’s leadership, are priorities for YWCA Australia.

In May 2010, YWCA Australia made a submission to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Corporate Governance Council about proposed changes to the ASX Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations relating to diversity and gender diversity.

Importantly, the proposed changes would require companies listed on the ASX to set measurable gender targets and to report their achievements against those targets in their annual reports.

The changes would also require ASX companies to disclose in their annual report the proportion of women on the board, in senior management and employed throughout the organisation.

» Read our submission


UN Universal Review Process (UPR)

Australia's overall human rights performance will be reviewed by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in early 2011

The UNHCR is currently undertaking the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of all member countries. Under the UPR process, member countries provide a report to the UNHRC outlining what they consider to be their country’s key human rights issues and achievements. Stakeholders, including non-government organisation (NGOs), may also submit a report to the UNHRC about a member country.

In May 2010, YWCA Australia made a submission to the Attorney-General’s Department outlining  our views on the positive human rights developments and continuing human rights challenges that should be included in the Australian Government’s report to the UPR.

Read our submission

Other submissions and policy work

Health and wellbeing 

» Find out about our health and wellbeing submissions

Women's human rights 

» Find out about our human rights submissions

Economic wellbeing

» Find out about our submissions on economic wellbeing

Violence against women and girls

» Find out about our submissions on violence against women and girls

Housing

» Find out about our submissions on housing

Other policy submissions

» Find out about other submissions