WEL-Informed March 2026
We start 2026 with a strengthened intergenerational and cross-cultural team who are already contributing to WEL and opening new avenues for partnerships and campaigning.
See the 2026 WEL National Coordinating Committee HERE.
New NCC member Jenny Muir is driving our media and communications, along with our National Coordinator Amanda Keeling. NCC members are already strengthening our communications and advocacy outreach and will bring policy analysis, systems management and fundraising ideas to our leadership team. Natalia Muskat’s long involvement as a Local Government leader in the Queensland regional centre of Gladstone will add a sorely needed regional perspective to our advocacy work, especially in such areas as health and reproductive rights.
If you would like to contribute to any of our policy groups or to our operations, communication and fund raising please contact Amanda our National Coordinator at [email protected].
Despite the sombre international landscape and the rise of extremist anti-feminist movements in Australia and elsewhere, WEL is optimistic and energised by the practical possibilities for genuine progress in gender equality in 2026.
WEL’s spotlight will be on the Albanese Government which has less than 12 months leading up to 2027 to begin to deliver big promises in our priority areas of health and the elimination of violence and in other areas critical to women’s equality such as pay equity and early childhood education and care.
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The International in IWD inspires WEL today
UN Women’s International Women's Day 2026
Planning WEL’s 2026 advocacy work
Unlocking the Prevention Potential – UTS Forum with Tanya Plibersek
Inquiry into the Relationship between Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence and Suicide
Gender Malaise in the Liberal Party: a chronic condition needs systemic treatment
The International in IWD inspires WEL today
In 1910 at a meeting of women delegates from 17 countries in Copenhagen, the progressive feminist Clara Zetkin successfully moved that International Women’s Day should be celebrated throughout the world on March 8 to celebrate the strike on 8 March 1908 of the New York City Garment Workers.
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), adopted by the UN in 1979, and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA), adopted in 1995, are now the two most significant, complementary international frameworks for advancing gender equality and women's rights.
CEDAW is a legally binding treaty - a Bill of Rights for Women - for its 189 signatories, including Australia. The Beijing Platform provides a comprehensive, action-oriented policy agenda that acts to implement the rights defined in CEDAW.
As the only advanced democracy without a Human Rights Act, Australia’s obligations under CEDAW and the Beijing Declaration have been the main drivers of legislative and regulatory reforms to advance gender equality: the 1984 Sex Discrimination Act, paid parental leave, equal pay provisions in industrial relations, steps to remove restrictions on women in combat roles, action to prevent violence and legislation to advance reproductive rights.
Today, this global framework that sustains the International in IWD is under great strain. Overt nationalist and virulently anti-feminist agendas in some countries seek to weaken multilateral cooperation, defund UN agencies and fracture shared commitments to gender equality.
On 6 January this year Donald Trump issued a memorandum to withdraw the United States from 66 UN related organisations.
Among the organisations affected are UN Women, the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) the sexual and reproductive health agency of the UN. The United States was never a signatory to CEDAW.
On IWD this year WEL is anticipating the Minister for Women’s report card on progress against key indicators in the second year of Working for Women: a Strategy for Gender Equality 2024-2030.
WEL supports Working for Women. We are disappointed that it includes many mentions of rights but no commitment to an Australian Human Rights Act.
In this ominous global climate, marking and celebrating International Women’s Day with a focus on the International is more urgent than ever.
UN Women’s International Women's Day 2026
This year’s theme is Balance the Scales, highlighting the urgent need to ensure fair, inclusive and accessible justice for every woman and girl.
There are a variety of UN Women’s International Women’s Day events on offer in every state on 4 March 2026. These lunch events include a wonderful range of feminist speakers, for example Jennifer Robinson, Human Rights Lawyer and Barrister in Sydney.
A more affordable way of accessing these events is through buying virtual individual tickets for $65.
See https://www.iwd.net.au/ to purchase virtual tickets and for details for every locality.
Keep an eye on WEL’s socials for information about other IWD events as they come to hand.
Planning WEL’s 2026 advocacy work
WEL’s freshly elected NCC met face to face at the end of January to plan out our advocacy work for the rest of the year. We spent the day assessing the current political environment, reviewing how we can build capacity to do our work more effectively and determining priority issues that need to be addressed.
WEL’s Policy Platform that we took to the May 2025 Federal Election sets out key actions in ten areas affecting women that any government needs to make to achieve genuine equality for women. We will continue to advocate for progress in achieving all these demands.
The NCC has determined that, for the rest of the year, WEL needs to most strongly campaign on two issues that cry out for urgent attention: violence against women and health services that meet women’s needs, including universal access to abortion services.
We will be engaging with our members and supporters to support our advocacy work as we roll out these campaigns.
Launched. Our Ways-Strong Ways-Our Voices: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Plan to End Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence 2026-2036
A dedicated Federal Government ten year plan to end violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) women was launched by Tanya Plibersek, Minister for Social Services with Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, Minister for Indigenous Australians on 10 February. It is aligned to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
The Plan has been endorsed by all relevant state and territory Ministers who have committed to turning the Plan's vision into real and lasting change through better resourcing and genuine partnerships.
Eight principles underpin proposed changes: self-determination, truth-telling, lived experience, healing, systemic transformation, intersectionality, accountability and Indigenous data sovereignty.
WEL commends the plan. We welcome this long-awaited Federal Government commitment and trust that it will be underpinned by adequate budget allocations to ATSI - controlled and other culturally sensitive services.
Unlocking the Prevention Potential – UTS Forum on prevention of Domestic and Family Violence with Tanya Plibersek
A forum was held at UTS on 18 February with Tanya Plibersek, Minister for Social Services, who has additional responsibility for the prevention of Domestic and Family Violence.
Anne Summers and Jess Hill, both of whom were members of the Panel of the Rapid Review of Prevention Approaches, questioned the Minister on what progress had been made on the recommendations of the Rapid Review whose final report was delivered on 23 August 2024. They indicated that there was a lot of frustration and impatience with the government’s response thus far. Jess Hill said that frontline services were reporting that violence was becoming increasingly complex in its manifestations, that incidents of violence were increasing, and that prevention programs needed to be expanded.
The Minister admitted that there had been weaknesses in keeping the community and the sector generally informed of progress. She highlighted some of the almost 122 Commonwealth activities currently underway in relation to Domestic Violence and urged attendees to examine the Rapid Review progress report on implementation to be found on the Prime Minister and Cabinet website.
WEL was represented at the forum by NCC members – Jenny Muir and Jozefa Sobski.
Inquiry into the Relationship between Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence and Suicide
The Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs adopted an inquiry into the relationship between domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) and suicide on 28 October 2025, following a referral from the Minister for Social Services, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP. The Committee is seeking written submissions by 13 March 2026. The Committee is examining systemic issues and cannot investigate or assist with individual cases.
WEL submission on the Inquiry into the Defence Amendment (Sexual Assault, Prevention, Intervention and Response Commission) Bill 2025
WEL has made a submission on the Defence Amendment (Sexual Assault, Prevention, Intervention and Response Commission) Bill 2025. The Bill follows recommendations from the recent Royal Commission into Veteran Suicide.
New NCC member Meghan Malone liaised with the Women in Defence Association and prepared the submission, which breaks new ground for WEL’s campaigns on the prevention of violence and sexual assault.
Our submission expresses broad support for the Bill. It also endorses the submission made to the Inquiry by the Women in Defence Association (WiDA). It suggests that the SAPIRC Bill should expand its focus from sexual assault and misconduct specifically, to gender-based violence more broadly.
We note that The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has engaged the Australian Human Rights Commission to consult on draft Terms of Reference for an inquiry into military sexual violence and research into the prevalence and impacts of sexual trauma in the ADF and ways to improve support for victim-survivors.
Gender Malaise in the Liberal Party: a chronic condition needs systemic treatment
When Sussan Ley became the first woman to lead the Liberal Party in May 2025, it was framed as a breakthrough. When she was removed less than a year later, it was framed as politics as usual. It is neither. It is a warning.
For decades, the Women’s Electoral Lobby has argued that representation is not symbolic. It is democratic infrastructure. Who holds power shapes which priorities are funded, which rights are defended and whose voices are heard.
The Liberal Party cannot claim it lacks capable women. Since its inception it has produced formidable, intelligent and effective women across federal and state politics. That legacy should be honoured and built upon. Instead, it has too often been sidelined. Talent is not the issue. Structure is.
Read more HERE.
Update from the USA
One of our new NCC members, Meghan Malone, is currently temporarily working from Harvard in Boston. We asked Meghan to give us her on the ground impressions of the current situation in the USA affecting women’s lives.
She discusses three issues: the Epstein Files, immigration and state power, and policies relating to climate change.
Read the update HERE.
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