YWCA Australia welcomes the release of the new 10-year ‘National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2032’.
The Plan’s ambitious goal to end gender-based violence within a generation can only be achieved by addressing the many cultural, social, political and economic factors that drive gendered violence.
The Plan stresses the vital role that housing plays in ending gender-based violence, something YWCA Australia welcomes. The report outlines the need to increase the stock of social and affordable housing while funding programs and responses that support victim-survivors to remain in the home of their choice.
YWCA Australia CEO Michelle Phillips said:
“We welcome the urgent and overdue emphasis on housing in the National Plan. Domestic and family violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children. Providing victim-survivors with safe, stable, affordable housing gives women and their families the stability they need to work towards recovery and a future free from violence.”
YWCA Australia also welcomes the National Plan’s commitment to a dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan, recognising First Nations women and children are disproportionately affected by gender-based violence, with gender issues rather than community issues as the key driver.
YWCA Australia recognises the National Plan’s ambitious goals cannot be achieved without strong targets and appropriate resourcing. We look forward to seeing a strong commitment to funding the plan in the upcoming Federal Budget, and to specific, measurable targets in the first of two 5-year Action Plans that will be released early next year.
“The ambitious goal of ending violence in a generation will require measurable targets, real action and substantial investment, which we are optimistic will be delivered. There is a lot that needs to happen, and YWCA Australia is committed to working alongside governments and partners to deliver the structural change that’s so desperately needed for every woman and child to live their lives free from violence, ” Ms Phillips said.
