As we present this Annual Report, let us be clear: investing in women's health and gender equality is not good for women —it's a fundamental human rights issue and a requirement for everybody.
The work of Women's Health in the South East (WHISE) – along with our sister Women’s Health Services - over the past year stands as testament to this truth. Even as we confront the stark reality that our global and local systems continue to work against an equitable future.
2024 has been a year of both progress and persistent challenges. The additional investment from the 2022 Victorian Budget allowed us to expand our reach and deepen our impact. Yet, as we write this, we know that many organisations, at home and abroad doing similar work; to make the world a better place, to make it equitable, to ensure that all humans have access to their rights; are under threat.
A key part of our work, as we present this report, one that weaves its way through the pages, is to speak about and highlight the structures and systems that support equality and intersectional equity in our region and beyond and how they need to be invested in.
Despite these challenges, WHISE has pushed forward, refusing to accept the status quo:
- We have broadened our Mental Health and Wellbeing initiatives, recognising the interwoven nature of mental health and gender equality.
- Our work addressing Gender Inequity in Climate Change acknowledges that environmental crises disproportionately affect women and marginalised communities.
- We've intensified our efforts in Sexual and Reproductive Health, fighting against systemic barriers that deny women control over their own bodies.
- Our Prevention of Violence Against Women programs have expanded, challenging the deeply rooted attitudes that perpetuate harm and impacts everyone’s health
- We've strengthened our Gender Equality Promotion, tackling issues like the gender pay gap head-on and creating new approaches to building and supporting that small yet vital workforce of gender equality and intersectional practitioners in our region.
Our Community Partnerships Team, comprised of individuals with lived experience, has been instrumental in reaching women facing multiple, intersecting forms of discrimination. Their work embodies our commitment to intersectionality—recognising that the challenges faced by a woman with a disability, migrant and refugee women, first nations women are compounded by these overlapping identities.
The inaugural Better Together Conference brought over 180 participants from various sectors together, embodying our belief that collaboration is key to dismantling the systems that perpetuate inequality. Our advocacy efforts, including submissions to the state budget process, reflect our understanding that change must happen at both grassroots and policy levels.
Let's be clear: the work of equality has for too long suffered from short-term thinking and inadequate resourcing. It's often seen as "women's work"—sidelined in discussions of economic productivity and community wellbeing. We reject this notion. Our work is central to building a thriving, equitable society for all.
As we move forward, guided by our Strategic Plan 2023-2028, we call on all our partners, stakeholders, and community members to recognise the urgency of this moment. The global community, through forums like the UN Commission on the Status of Women, is acknowledging that gender equality is at a crossroads. We stand at this juncture, ready to push forward, to challenge, to innovate, and to lead.
To our dedicated staff, board members, volunteers, and partners—your tireless efforts are the driving force behind every achievement detailed in this report. To the women and communities we serve—your resilience and strength inspire us daily to fight harder, to reach further.
We present this report not just as a record of our work, but as a call to action. The path to gender equality is not a straight line, but a complex journey requiring sustained effort and unwavering commitment. Together, we will continue to build a more equitable, respectful, and inclusive society for all women in our wonderfully diverse Southern Metropolitan Region.
The work continues. The urgency remains. And we, at WHISE, stand ready to meet the challenges ahead.
Kerry Bradley
Chair, WHISE Board
Kit McMahon
CEO