YWCA Australia’s pre-election event, SHE Votes was held on Wednesday 8th May and was a huge success! With high profile politicians attending including NSW Senator Jenny McAlister and SA Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, the event was also MC’d by Georgina Morphett of YWCA’s Young Women’s Council.
SHE Votes is an opportunity for women voters to hear directly from their federal candidates about their party’s policies on women and gender equality. Attendees were then able to get up close and personal with candidates in a ‘speed dating’ style session, asking questions on topics such as domestic and family violence, housing, women’s economic empowerment, leadership, the environment, and issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and women living with disabilities.
With a dynamic room full of passionate women, the event shone a much-needed spotlight on critical issues for women in Australia. Here’s some feedback from a young woman who attended the event:
“As someone who finds it hard to engage in politics, I found that it was rewarding to experience it this way… it is well worth being there to engage in listening and learning with people who are present and willing to discuss [politics].”
Providing these platforms for women’s political engagement is critical to YWCA’s work and contributes to our aim of women leading change.
In the lead up to this election YWCA Australia also produced an Election Platform, calling for action on three key areas of Housing, Safety and Leadership.
It is encouraging to see that one of our asks has already been delivered, with the re-instatement of a Minister for Youth! We are also pleased to see attention on a number of other areas outlined in our Election Platform, including the incoming Government’s committing of record funding to the fourth phase of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, including 68.3 million towards Prevention and 78.4 million on ‘Safe Places’ for women experiencing family violence.
You can read the Election Platform here, and we look forward to working with the Morrison Government in working towards a future where all women, young women and girls are equal, safe and respected.
