Victoria leads the way in gendered health promotion - here’s why it matters
Victoria is the only state in Australia with a dedicated gendered health promotion network that spans every region — and a new campaign from the Victorian Women’s Health Services Network (WHSN) is helping its partners and community understand why that matters.
The campaign, Understanding the Work of the Victorian Women’s Health Services Network, explains how health promotion improves community wellbeing and reduces pressure on clinical and crisis services. It features an engaging online quiz with a spotlight on the World Health Organization’s five key health promotion actions — all grounded in real examples of the WHSN’s impact.
“Health promotion is an essential part of our healthcare system,” said WHSN Chair, Dr Adele Murdolo.
“It’s the work that happens before people reach crisis point, and in fact can prevent the crisis from happening in the first place. Health promotion prevents harm, improves access, and helps communities thrive.”
The campaign follows the release of Small Change, Big Impact: Two years on, a WHSN report that showcases how coordinated health promotion efforts have already delivered tangible change in communities across Victoria. The campaign paves the way for the release of a new WHSN impact report later this year.
One of the projects featured is Women Rising: Empowering Flood Recovery, led by Women’s Health Loddon Mallee (WHLM). The project explores how disaster events like floods exacerbate gender inequality, and elevates the experiences of women and gender diverse people to help shape better responses in the future.
“Women and gender diverse people in our region have valuable knowledge about how communities experience and recover from disaster — but their voices are often left out,” said CEO of WHLM Kellie Dunn.
“Women Rising gives them a say in how we prepare for and respond to emergencies in ways that are fairer and more effective. This means we reduce the health impacts of emergency events on communities and support more people to maintain their health and wellbeing.”
The project began after the 2022 floods in regional Victoria, engaging local focus groups to hear directly from those impacted. These conversations contributed to a new framework — Being, Belonging, Becoming — which helps guide support for women and gender diverse people’s wellbeing before, during, and after disasters.
The findings have already influenced local policies and led to “Lessons in Disaster” training across the region, helping emergency services better understand and meet the needs of all community members. It’s a strong example of how gendered health promotion can improve real-world outcomes.
From tailored health education to strengthening gender equality in workplaces, the WHSN’s 12 regional and statewide services work together to create a healthier, safer, and more equitable Victoria.
Partners and stakeholders are encouraged to:
Take the quiz and test your knowledge – How well do you know health promotion?
Read the summary or full report – Small Change, Big Impact: Two Years On
Check out the Women’s Health Services Network website for case studies and other examples highlighting our work