News

Throughout the year, we focused on key issues that shape women’s safety, health and economic security, drawing on the knowledge of experts, practitioners and community leaders. 

These learning opportunities strengthen our giving circle: they ensure members are informed, our granting decisions are grounded in evidence and lived experience, and our advocacy remains connected to the realities women face every day.

Gender-based violence and its complex, pervasive social enablers.

Leaders Tania Farha (Safe & Equal), Julie Kun (Women with Disabilities Victoria), Adele Murdolo (Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health), Hana Asafiri OAM (Moroccan Soup Bar) and Sue-Anne Hunter (Yoorrook Justice Commission) helped us understand the systemic factors that allow violence to persist, and the actions required to disrupt these cycles.

Their honest and expert insights broadened our understanding of a complex issue affecting so many women and families in need. We are grateful to event host, Canva, and sponsor, Fernwood Fitness, for supporting this important discussion.

An examination of gender inequity in health

In particular, how structural and cultural biases affect diagnosis, treatment and access to care for women – especially those facing economic hardship, cultural barriers or limited regional health services.

Sally Hasler, CEO of Women’s Health Victoria, shared how advocacy and system change are essential to dismantling these barriers, and the importance of the now published Inquiry into Women’s Pain Report in supporting this aim.

Welcome remarks from Emma Woolley, Partner with our generous event host, Hall & Wilcox, offered a thoughtful and engaging perspective on women’s legacy planning, care and agency.

The progressive impact of MWF’s 2024 grants.

Heather Saunders, CEO of WomenCAN Australia, shared progress on their program supporting women experiencing social and cultural barriers to employment to train and work as bus and truck drivers, alongside the development of their new social enterprise placement service, WomenCAN Work.

Karen Lancaster, Director of Services at PartnerSPEAK, together with Project Lead, Anastasia Sabatino, provided an update on the expansion of their two-year pilot embedding peer workers alongside Victoria Police to provide trauma-informed support for non-offending partners during the execution of child sexual abuse warrants. In addition, the pilot includes work to embed non-offending partner care into law enforcement policy and practice.

These updates demonstrated the power of our collective giving and depth of impact that can be achieved when grass-roots organisations are supported to strengthen and scale their work. We are grateful to Evans & Partners for hosting this special opportunity to hear from our 2024 grantees.

Our social dinners brought members and friends together

Alongside these issue-focused and learning discussions, members and friends also shared insights and deepened relationships within our giving circle community. These informal dinners remained a popular and welcoming way for members and friends to connect and we look forward to more in the new year.

The 2025 Changemaker Awards

Our Changemaker Awards concluded our grants process and our year of events, introducing support for six new organisations whose work we will follow closely throughout the coming year. These grants represent the beginning of new stories of possibility, stability and change for women and their families in need across Melbourne.

With huge thanks to event sponsors, Bendigo Community Bank Elwood and JLL Melbourne’s Women in Property Network, for their significant support.

Thank you to every member, supporter, volunteer, participant and guest who attended, contributed, asked questions and joined us in our year of learning and doing more about the issues that shape women’s lives.