‘Respectable Radicals’ the history of National Council of Women of Australia

‘Respectable Radicals’ the history of National Council of Women of Australia is now on sale in all good bookshops. RRP $39.95.

We congratulate authors  Marian Quarterly and Judith Smart, and History Committee led by Leonie Christopherson AM, on the birth of Respectable Radicals: A History of the National Council of Women of Australia, 1896-2006. We hope to see coverage of our story in mainstream media, newspapers and relevant radio programs.  The book has its own webpage.

For much of the twentieth century, the National Council of Women of Australia was the peak body representing women to government in Australia, and through the International Council of Women, to the world. This history of NCWA tells the story of mainstream feminism in Australia, of the long struggle for equality at home and at work which is still far from achieved. In these days when women can no longer be imagined as speaking with one voice, and women as a group have no ready access to government, we still need something of the optimistic vision of the leaders of NCWA. Respectable in hat and gloves to the 1970s and beyond, they politely persisted with the truly radical idea that women the world over should be equal with men .Respectable Radicalsis being launched by Professor Marilyn Lake on 11 October as part of the NCWA Triennial Conference.

My Vote My Voice – Beijing + 20 event at the Parliament of Victoria: How are we progressing towards gender equality?

Message received from Natasha Stott Despoja AM
Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls

Twenty y ears ago at the landmark Beijing World Conference on Women, 189 countries unanimously adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action for gender equality. 1995 was a highpoint in international cooperation to secure commitments to women’s rights; we have not seen such an unequivocal statement of support for women and girls since.

However, in no area of women’s participation in economic or public life have we achieved what we aspired to in 1995. In no area of women’s and girls’ safety - at home, in places of work, or learning, or in situations of conflict - can we say our work is done.

We are marking this 20th anniversary in a spirit of both celebration and sober reflection. While we applaud the many gains made in 1995, and since, we also realise that we have a long way to go. 

Throughout this year, Australia has been working hard with other countries to ensure the progress we have achieved is not rolled back. I am encouraged that Australia’s efforts on the international stage are reflected in national programs of action, too, like “My Voice, My Vote” at the Parliament of Victoria. 

It is great to see young women reviewing progress made towards gender equality over the past twenty years and charting the path ahead. I can’t think of a more promising, untapped resource than the world’s young women. And there is no one better equipped to shape the future than the young leaders of today.

I commend you, and your schools, on participating in this important event; and I congratulate the National Council of Women of Victoria and the event sponsors for arranging this program.

The world cannot afford to wait another twenty years to achieve the goals we set in Beijing, and we look to our young women to take up this challenge, to build momentum to make the Beijing Platform for Action a reality.

I hope today’s event inspires you all to continue the work you are doing in your communities, your schools and beyond, to achieve gender equality.

Change, it’s a strong word. Change makers even stronger

This is an extract from an article written by Victoria Waid, a Year 12student. She is one of the brilliant young speakers at the NCWV student event My Vote My Voice 2015 at the Parliament of Victoria on Monday Aug. 10.

My name is Victoria Waid, and I am a change maker. My vision is to live in a world where all children can realise their full potential in societies that respect people’s rights and dignity. Change does not come to those that wait. Change happens when you put your heart and soul into everything you do, and everything you're passionate for. It happens when you go out into the world and bring about change.

On 30 September 2014, I had the privilege of representing Girl Guides Victoria and Plan International in Canberra, for the ‘Because I am a Girl’ campaign that aims at unleashing the incredible potential of women’s empowerment. To celebrate the 2014 International Day of the Girl, I travelled to Canberra to highlight the importance of leadership for young women and girls and supporting their active participation in political, social, and economic spaces.

Educating and empowering girls to become leaders and change makers in their communities is critical to breaking the cycle of poverty and securing a better world for all. With the Millennium Development Goals finishing and a new set of goals being decided, right now we have a once in a generation opportunity to tell our leaders to put girls front and centre in our development priorities for the next decade and beyond. To do this, Plan Australia supported 25 young female advocates from around Australia, and from Pakistan, to stage a major parliamentary event in Canberra where we presented our call to action. Here, in Canberra, we presented to some of Australia’s top politicians, a book titled ‘Our Book of Ambitions’. This book is the heart and soul of our project. Contained in this book, is our declaration to include children's and women’s rights on the post 2015 agenda. Enclosed in this book, is the voice of Australia, and what they want to see change in the world.

Image courtesy Victoria Waid (centre) with friends, at the Because I am a Girl launch in Canberra, September 2014. Source: http://www.academy.vic.edu.au/_uploads/rsfil/00989.pdf, Victoria’s story is also in the Girls Guides Victoria publication GGV Guiding stories: https://www.guidesvic.org.au/Documents/GuidingCommunity/GGVGuidingStories.pdf

The Next Generation of Women and Work

Even though there looks to be equality of opportunity in Australian universities and slightly more women than men are completing professional courses, it seems that rates of progress in the professions for male lawyers, doctors and other professionals vary markedly from those for women. Why is this so?

The Future of Work Conference held April 29 - 30 at the University of Melbourne, subtitled ‘People, Place, Technology,’ was a sell-out. Many of the presenters were strong on the need to re-think the idea of workplaces, emphasising the way new technologies lend themselves to virtual workplaces and that entrepreneurial approaches will be a platform for professional advancement in the future.

At the same time sources such as the Australia Graduate Survey suggests that higher proportions of young women than young men are still unemployed in their chosen field four months after completion of their course. In Queensland the current rate for underemployment of women is highest since recording began in 1978.

It is no surprise then that many of our affiliates have begun to look careful at the need for mentoring for the next generation of women seeking to enter a particular profession.

The Victorian Women Lawyers had VEOHR Commissioner Kate Jenkins launch their Flexible Work Protocols. This reminds us that the process of induction into a profession can be more problematic for those who have to overcome barriers of difference.

Volunteer Week is occurring in May and it is timely for us to reflect on the way our volunteering can bring us together with these young people who are taking their first steps on career paths in a world of under employment, and virtual workplaces.

Working together on Family Violence

National Council of Women has welcomed the setting up of the Royal Commission into Family Violence and the appointment of the Honourable Marcia Neave AO as Commissioner in February 2015. Commissioner Neave has been a judge of the Court of Appeal and a professor at three Australian universities. She has always had an interest in the way the law responds to the needs of women, and we recall her work as Chair of the Victorian Law Reform Commission which worked on projects including Defences to Homicide, Sexual Offences and Reproductive Technology. Commissioner Neave is being assisted by two part-time Deputy Commissioners, Patricia Faulkner AO and Tony Nicholson.

The Royal Commission’s terms of reference, outlines its objective of reporting early in 2016 on many matters that will foster a violence-free society and to developing practical recommendations for change.

The Royal Commission is currently seeking submissions from anyone directly affected by family violence and from any others whose experiences and ideas may assist the work of the Royal Commission in On March 31st the Commission released an Issues Paper to help guide individuals and organisations wishing to lodge a written submission. The Issues Paper includes a definition of family violence, and a brief summary of what is currently known about family violence and what has been done so far, including themes and questions to assist writers to provide valuable information about what works, what doesn’t work and what improvements should be made across the family violence system.

Written submissions are just one of the ways in which the Royal Commission is gathering views and information. It will also be examining more detailed questions through its research, site visits, community engagement activities and public hearings 

Stop Press: For the April 10 announcement, with information about the five Community Consultations in Metro Melbourne and across Victoria starting on April 20, and for other information, please go to the Royal Commission’s website at www.rcfv.com.au.

The Royal Commission invites individuals and organisations to make submissions and lodge them by Friday, 29 May 2015. Anyone with questions about the submissions process or who requires assistance to make a submission, should call 1800 365 100 or send an email to enquiries@rcfv.com.au. If you would like to speak to the Commission in a language other than English, call 03 9321 5499. Or write to the Royal Commission into Family Violence, PO Box 535 Flinders Lane VIC 8009

We have formed the view that the very tight timelines for the lodging of submissions may well disadvantage those without access to high speed internet. The NCWV 2015 Forum on Thursday May 7th at 10 – 11.30 am will focus on HOW and WHAT to submit to the Royal Commission on Family Violence. Please join us on that morning if you would like to be better informed on the issues paper and on what will be included in the National Council of Women of Victoria submission.There are a limited number of places available, so please register by email by April 25th.

Our 2015 theme is 'Working together'

‘Working together’our theme for 2015 has to be the foundation of any real attempt to address the epidemic of violence in our society. At the March 5th Council meeting we had an opportunity to reflect on the capacity of faith based organisations to promote a more respectful society with speaker Dr Ree Boddé, Program Director for the Prevention of Violence against Women - an initiative of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne has been involved in an effective education program that has men and women working together for reform.

International Women’s Day events across Australia through March made reference to the 20th anniversary of the 4th World Conference of Women in Beijing in 1995. The review process reached its peak in New York at the UN Commission on the Status of Women CSW59/Beijing+20 (2015) from 9 to 20 March. Now representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are on their way back to their home countries.

What are the elements of the Beijing Platform for Action from 1995 that remain important today.What progress has been made? Critical area of concern in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action included 4: Violence against Women. At the Melbourne UN Women Breakfast on March 3rd, Board Member Catherine Walker told the guests that a major problem is still Critical Area 7: Women in power and decision making. Fewer than 20% of parliamentarians worldwide are women, and in our region only 1 in 15 MPs are women. The panel of speakers reflected on situation for women in our region twenty years after the Beijing Conference:In Samoa 70% of women have experienced violence; however next year a number of seats in the Parliament will be reserved for women. At the same event Irene Santiago, Philippines Peace Commission, commented that one sign of progress over the 20 years has been the bringing of women’s voices to the UN Security Council from the time SC Resolution 1325 and now countries are gradually adopting National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security as Australia and the Philippines have done. 

How to get the idea across? One great example is Emma Watson’s speech on “He For She” and this was subject of a post written by Yvette Wang for the blog youngncwic.wordpress.com to promoting our student event 'My Vote My Voice' now rescheduled for August 10 2015.

Our 2014 theme was ‘Young people our future’

Following discussion through December and January, especially after the announcement of the Hon Justice Marcia Neave AO to head the Royal Commission into Family Violence, we will be focussing on’ Working Together’. ‘Working together’ has to be the foundation of any real attempt to address the epidemic of violence in our society: men and women together, the old and young together, agencies together, in a holistic approach to reduce the impact of violence. 

Some of the things we’ll be working on in 2015:

• Continuing our attention to child and family issues, progress for woman and girls especially in progress for the world – beginning with Pioneer Women’s Garden event: How well does the machinery for parental and career support including government programs based on Dr Vera Scantlebury Brown’s pioneering work, still function in a more diverse society.

• The 20th anniversary of the 4th World Conference of Women in Beijing in 1995 – the review process in New York in the Autumn and the actual 20th anniversary in our Spring (August/September) – this helps us link our concerns with wider media coverage on the anniversary. The question has to be which of the elements of the Beijing Platform for Action from 1995 still resonate today.