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Plan to reduce violence against women under threat

25 February 2009, 03:00PM

Amnesty International Australia is concerned that the Federal Government’s election promise to deliver a major initiative to reduce violence against women may be at risk, with no clear funding commitment forthcoming as yet.

As part of its election platform the Government committed to implementing, in its first term, a National Plan of Action (NPoA) to Reduce Violence against Women and Their Children. Amnesty International Australia is deeply concerned that this plan may not be implemented and adequately funded in this term of government.

The draft NPoA, being developed by the National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children, was expected to be presented to the Minister for the Status of Women, Tanya Plibersek, in December 2008, but still has not been made public.

“There has been little communication from the government on this delay,” said Claire Mallinson, national director of Amnesty International Australia. “The government needs to outline when and how the NPoA will be implemented, and explain what ramifications this delay will have for the problem of violence against women in this country. It also needs to outline what opportunities the community and women’s sector will have for consultation.”

These concerns are heightened by mixed messages received by Amnesty International Australia supporters in meetings held recently with members of parliament. While some were supportive, others indicated that the NPoA could not be a federal budget priority given competing demands for funds. Others indicated that violence against women was predominantly a state issue. No parliamentarian was able to assure Amnesty International supporters that the plan would receive increased funding in the budget or whether Australia would commit to an international standard of funding.

Violence against women is entrenched in Australia, with some 57 per cent of women in this country experiencing physical and/ or sexual violence in their lifetimes.(1).

“Australian women cannot wait any longer. The government must confirm it will be able to deliver on its election promise of implementing an NPoA in its first term, and to confirm that the plan will receive adequate funding in the budget,” said Ms Mallinson.

Amnesty International believes that the financial downturn should not affect the Government’s commitment to ending violence against women, when Australian spending to address the problem is already far below that of European countries. A National Plan of Action and paid maternity leave are both vital to realising women’s rights.

“This government made some impressive commitments to women when it was elected,” Ms Mallinson said. “It committed to a National Plan of Action, said it supported paid maternity leave, and signed the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Eliminating Discrimination Against Women. However, these commitments will be meaningless without adequate funding.”

ENDS

Note to Editors: Short-term initiatives at different levels of government have proven inadequate in addressing the issue of violence against women. A national approach to reducing the problem has been proven in other countries to be the most effective way to address this entrenched human rights abuse.

An Access Economics report estimated that domestic violence costs Australia $8.1 billion a year. Despite this, Australian federal funding to address violence against women is significantly below international practice in comparable countries. Australia would need to increase its funding by 50 per cent to match the European benchmark.

Average spending by European countries on national plans targeted to violence against women is about $14,000 per 10,000 annually. The Australian approach in 2007 appeared to total less than two thirds of this average – roughly $9,300 per 10,000 annually.

Paid maternity leave is essential for women to escape violence. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 59 per cent (667,900) of women interviewed who experienced violence by a previous partner were pregnant at some time during the relationship. Of these, 36 per cent (239,800) reported that violence occurred during a pregnancy, and 17 per cent (112,000) experienced violence for the first time when they were pregnant (2)

Other international research has found that the risk of violence appears to be greatest after giving birth. (3) It is imperative that pregnant women and women with new babies are given every opportunity to realise their right to live free from violence – economic independence is essential for them to escape violence.

  1. Mouzos, J and Makkai, T (2004) Women’s Experiences of Male Violence: Findings from the Australian Component of the international Survey on Violence Against Women, Australian Institute of Criminology.
  2. ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) (2006) Personal Safety Survey Australia. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics (Cat. 4906.0).
  3. Gielen AC, O'Campo PJ, Faden RR, Kass NE, Xue X. Interpersonal conflict and physical violence during the childbearing year. Soc Sci Med 1994;39:781-7.

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Comments

Comments are submitted by members of the public and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Amnesty International Australia. If you find a comment objectionable please contact the web editor.

1

Janice Bell
5 March 2009, 04:50PM Notify the web editor

to The Prime Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd, and his ministers, esp the Hon.Tanya Plibersek,
PLEASE RELEASE THE REPORT ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CONFIRM THAT IT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED SWIFTLY IN ITS ENTIRETY,DESPITE THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE

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