YWCA Australia runs national campaigns and events to highlight important issues affecting women and girls both in Australia and internationally.

Read about some of our campaigns and events:

World YWCA Week Without Violence 

Violence against women and girls affects societies everywhere. Each October, we urge Australians to imagine a world without violence…

Studies show that almost half of Australian women have experienced physical violence and more than one third of Australian women have experienced sexual violence.

Week Without Violence is an annual, worldwide campaign organised by the YWCA to encourage communities to think and act towards a world without violence.

The Week Without Violence takes place during the third week of October each year.

No Diet Day - celebrating body diversity

Promoting healthy body image is an important part of our work.

Body image is an issue of great concern to Australian young people. Poor body image can be related to eating disorders, depression, negative self esteem and unhealthy eating and exercising.

International No Diet Day takes place on 6 May each year. No Diet Day was established to raise awareness of the dangers of diets and eating disorders and celebrate diversity in body shape and size.

On No Diet Day, YWCA's around the country run activities to mark the day and promote healthy body image.

» Read about YWCA activities held in 2009

YWCA Asia and Pacific Regional Training Institute 2009

A forum in Bali to strengthen ties and cooperation and share knowledge with other YWCAs in Asia and the Pacific.

Women and girls in the Asia-Pacific region face enormous challenges.

In August 2009, almost 100 delegates from 22 YWCAs in Asia and the Pacific came together for the Asia and Pacific YWCAs Regional Training Institute (RTI) in Bali, Indonesia.

The training, created and designed to build the leadership of young women, focused primarily on violence against women, economic empowerment and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) including HIV/AIDs.

Thanks for the Sass & Sav in the Senate

A lunch to celebrate the achievements of Senator Natasha Stott-Despoja and Senator Kerry Nettle

We thanked two train-blazing Australian women as they left the Australian Parliament.

In June 2009, we held a lunch at Old Parliament House, Canberra to celebrate, farewell and thank Senators Natasha Stott Despoja and Kerry Nettle for their incredible work as young women in the Australian Federal Parliament.

Both Natasha and Kerry were 26 when elected.

Among their achievements, Natasha and Kerry worked passionately on issues important to women as well as leading the way for more young women to become involved in politics. 

 

2007 Election Campaign: Enrol! Vote!

In 2007, we encouraged young women to enrol to vote and to make their vote count.

When the YWCA began back in 1855, women were not allowed to vote.Enrol! Vote!

The Enrol! Vote! campaign was a national campaign run by YWCA Australia before the last federal election in 2007.

With our partner Avant Cards, YWCA Australia flooded cafes and cinemas with an Enrol and Vote postcard, encouraging young women to enrol or update their details with the Australian Election Commission before the election was called. 

YWCA Australia also encouraged young women to consider issues of importance to them in deciding who to vote for, including fair conditions at work, access to maternity leave and childcare, and helping young women deal with society's fixation on body image. 

The campaign was supported by high-profile Australians including Rachel Griffiths, Chris Taylor and Senator Natasha Stott Despoja.   

Calendar of campaigns and events

Find out about our important events throughout the year.

» See our calendar of events