February 2017
In the Spotlight
Launch of New Female Genital Cutting Factsheets
Female genital cutting (FGC), also known as female circumcision, is recognised internationally as a harmful traditional practice that strongly violates the human rights of women and girls.
WHIN recently launched our new series of factsheets on FGC, timed to coincide with the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation. Each of the three factsheets is for a different audience: young women, women who have been circumcised, and health professionals.
The factsheets contain information such as why FGC happens, where it is practised, the different types of FGC, how it impacts on women's and girls' health, and where to get help and information.
You can download the factsheets direct from our website and you can find other information about WHIN’s work in the area of the Victorian Family and Reproductive Rights Education Program here.
For further information contact Intesar Homed on 9484 1666 or intesarh@whin.org.au.
Upcoming Training and Events
Women In the North Go to the Movies, 9 March 2017 - Sold Out!
WHIN’s International Women’s Day celebration - Women in the North Go to the Movies – has now sold out! Over one hundred tickets have been distributed to WHIN members.
This year we will show Hidden Figures, the incredible true story of three African-American women working at NASA as 'human computers' who helped launch the manned spaceflight program.
Dr Regina Quiazon, Senior Research and Policy Advocate at Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health, will introduce the movie with a presentation on the intersectionality of race and gender.
For those of you who missed out on tickets or otherwise can't attend, we will include a summary in the March e-news.
WHIN would like to thank the Inner North Community Foundation and Northland Centre Management for their generous sponsorship of this event.
City of Darebin Celebrates International Women's Day: Molly Hadfield Social Justice Oration, 9 March 2017
The Molly Hadfield Social Justice Oration is a free public event held annually in celebration of International Women’s day. The event is a tribute to well-known Darebin resident Molly Hadfield OAM who worked tirelessly to advance women’s and seniors rights throughout her life. The oration will be delivered by Clementine Ford and explores social justice themes of interest to women in our community.
When: Thursday 9 March, 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm
Where: Northcote Town Hall, Northcote, 3070
RSVP: on Eventbrite
The City of Darebin is hosting a suite of events and activities to celebrate International Women’s Day throughout the whole month of March. See the programme, visit www.darebin.vic.gov.au/iwd or call 8470 8888 for more information.
Celebrating the Success of the Victorian Family and Reproductive Rights Education Program, 16 March 2017
The Victorian Family and Reproductive Rights Education Program (FARREP) is aimed at preventing the practice of female genital cutting, supporting women, girls and communities who may be affected and working with a range of professionals to improve support and referrals. To celebrate the success of the FARREP a state-wide forum will be held on 16 March 2017. Health, education and other professionals are invited to attend the forum, which will be hosted by DHHS, the Victorian Multicultural Commissions and organisations that received FARREP funding. The forum will provide an excellent opportunity to learn more about the aims of the program and the work that is currently being undertaken in Victoria to eliminate the practice and to support women who have been affected.
When: Thursday 16 March 2017, 9.30 am to 2.00 pm
Where: RACV City Club, 501 Bourke Street, Melbourne, 3000
RSVP: on Eventbrite
For further information contact Intesar Homed on 9484 1666 or intesarh@whin.org.au.
Working in Two Worlds Forum, 30 March 2017
The Long Walk and North and West Region Primary Care Partnerships Koolin Balit Consortium are jointly convening a one-day ‘Working in Two Worlds’ forum. This forum is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working in mainstream health and community services organisations.
When: Thursday 30 March 2017, 9.00 am to 4.00 pm
Where: Essendon Football Club, Melrose Drive, Melbourne Airport
RSVP: on Eventbrite
The forum arises out of a need for mainstream health and community service sector employers to more effectively support their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers. Drawing on the experience and knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working in mainstream roles, the consultation will inform preparation of a report and/or resource document representative of the views of people working in mainstream organisations in these sectors. The resource will be available to agencies to inform employment and service practice policies and guidance and advisory resources.
For more information contact Leanne Brooke, The Long Walk, on 0474 474 602 or Don Stewart, Inner North West Primary Care Partnership, on 0408 605 998.
Women's Wellbeing
Outer Northern Refugee Health Network Service Directory
The Outer Northern Refugee Health Network Service Directory contains a list of local specialist and mainstream refugee support services which aims to streamline referrals for refugee and asylum seekers.
The directory includes local services in the Hume and Whittlesea areas and other relevant regional and state wide services.
The directory provides easy, accessible information on services and serves as a quick reference guide for a range of services where refugee and asylum seekers maybe referred.
The development of the directory entailed bringing together local specialist and mainstream refugee services from across the outer northern metropolitan region to establish a network to produce a directory.
For more information, and to download the directory, click here.
In the Community
Big Issue Women's Community Street Soccer Program
The Big Issue Women’s Community Street Soccer Program is a social inclusion program for disadvantaged and marginalised women. Their aim is to give women a safe space to go to every week, where they can work on increasing their health and fitness, build friendships and reconnect with the community. The program is part of a larger network of 16 Street Soccer programs run by The Big Issue, however, they are the only dedicated women's street soccer program in Australia.
This YouTube clip gives an understanding of the type of work they do.
The program runs every Thursday afternoon, from 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm in North Melbourne and is completely free.
If you would like more information contact womensoccer@bigissue.org.au
