15 December 2021

Dear AWHN Members, friends and supporters,

We are delighted to tell you that AWHN will be one of the 21 health groups to receive funding under the Health Peak and Advisory Bodies Program. This means our national network will be supported as part of Australian Government Department of Health investment in preventative health.

The resourcing will be for three years, from 2022 to 2025.

The funding announcement comes alongside the publication of the National Preventative Health Strategy which aims to prevent illness, disease and injury.

AWHN will work to develop gender informed primary prevention with an equity lens, and how prevention can more effectively integrate with health policy and programs. These are challenges for the National Preventive Health Strategy and the National Women’s Health Strategy and will support the identification and dissemination of effective prevention strategies.

AWHN formed in 1986 and has members across every state and territory, working in areas of women’s health, gender and health equity.

We look forward to the increased capacity this funding will give us to strengthen our response and to engage with our membership in this work.  This news is a great way to wrap up 2021, and it couldn’t come at a more important time.

“We are experiencing a global health crisis that is reinforcing inequity; affecting our health, housing, education and employment,” said Bonney Corbin, Chair of AWHN.

“In the past few years preventative health measures have been delayed, which has had detrimental effects on health equity exacerbated by the burden of care work, and as women are the majority of front line health, disability and aged care workers.

“Throughout the COVID19 pandemic Australian Women’s Health Network members have worked together to action policy agendas, advocate for women’s safety and to maintain access to services.

“As we move into a new stage of pandemic recovery, we welcome the new Preventative Health Strategy, and investment in collaboration at national and regional levels.

“We look forward to working with the Department of Health as part of the Health Peak and Advisory Bodies Program. We will continue providing expert, evidence-based and independent advice to inform health policy and programs.

“Thank you to Minister Greg Hunt for investing in preventative health and women’s health.”

We will share further information about this development with you in July 2022.