Sydney Women Helping Sydney Women - providing a road to opportunity.
The research shows:
- Sydney's women have come a long way; but there is still a long way to go
- There are women in Sydney suffering through lack of opportunity
- Smart and wise women want to help other women
- Small initiatives can have BIG results
We believe:
- Success creates success
- Helping women, helps families, helps communities, helps Sydney
What is apparent from our research is the urgent need to clarify the picture of women in New South Wales and Sydney. The last study conducted by the Office for Women in New South Wales was completed in 2003.
An early priority for the SWF will be to commission an update of this study. There is great value in an evidence-based approach to policy design and intervention. The SWF will use this data to highlight the issues and to inform our own strategic planning and grant making.
We propose to model this study on the Washington Area Women’s Foundation’s Portrait of Women and Girls. Their forward-looking report considers the following:
• Progress has been made, but there is much more to be done to open doors that are closed to women and girls.
• Pressures like financial security and balancing family and work, are on the minds of women in the community. We need to know where the problems are the greatest and what it will take to make a difference.
• Potential leading civic and economic change is here among the diversity of women and girls in our area.
• Possibilities for making wise investments to improve the lives of everyone in our community are everywhere. We must implement mechanisms to transfer that knowledge.
An evidence based approach - the plight of Sydney Women
• Major health issues among young women are depression and attempted suicide, eating disorders, tobacco use - 29% of 16-24 year olds smoke
• NSW women across all age cohorts have lower rates of participation in sport and physical activity than Australian women generally – women have lower participation rates than men – participation rates for Indigenous and NESB women are lower still
• Domestic violence increased 22% from 2000 – 2002 – number of AVO’s being issued increasing, and breaches of AVO’s also increasing.
• The highest incidence of domestic violence related assaults in Sydney in the Campbelltown, Blacktown and Wyong areas.
Indigenous Women
• Sydney has the largest Indigenous population
• Life expectancy is ~20 years < for all women
• ~20% of mothers were teenagers in 2001
• ~23% of NSW female prison population
• Unemployment rate double rest of population at 14.9%
• Experience assault, including domestic violence > 4 times rate of women generally
• ~24% aged >15 reported year 11 or 12 as highest level of education (all women 45%)
• Low rates of access to breast cancer screening and pap smears despite being at higher risk
Migrant Women
• 45% of tenants in Sydney based public housing are of NESB and 60% of households are headed by women
• Case-workers report high levels of domestic violence
• Little or no knowledge of preventative health services - participation in cervical and breast screening programs consistently lower than general population.
• Reports of illegally performed female genital mutilations
• Young Muslim women persecuted for wearing traditional clothing