Embedding workplace equality and respect

Learning Together partnership (WHWBSW)

Gender Equity Community of Practice (WHGNE)

Reaching more Victorians where they live, work, learn and play

Our nine place-based services coordinate stakeholders from across their regions to come together to address a range of women’s health and wellbeing issues. These regional partnerships bring together a broad range of partners from across the health, community, government, education, media, sports and private sectors. In most regions, this takes the form of a partnership focused on gendered violence prevention and another focused on sexual and reproductive health.

The partnerships support effective onthe-ground implementation of the state government’s health, gender equality, gendered violence prevention, and sexual and reproductive health strategies and targets. Each partnership develops its own regional plan, contextualising action to its region. We act as backbone organisations, ensuring coordinated, collaborative and best practice design, delivery and evaluation. The regional partnerships come together to create a statewide infrastructure, delivering on state and national health and equality goals. Our regional partnerships support a diverse movement of more than 500 public, private and community sector partners across the state to take real action towards a healthier, safer and more equitable Victoria.

Cultural safety for First Nations communities

The ongoing impacts of colonisation and dispossession have created a health system that is not always safe, inclusive or respectful for First Nations people. Our sector is committed to elevating First Nations voices and priorities in women’s health and embedding cultural safety in our organisations and the work we do. This journey is unique for each women’s health service, the First Nations communities they serve and the Country they operate across.

For instance, Women’s Health In the North has worked with First Nations consultants to undertake truth-telling sessions and embed First Nations considerations into organisational policies, processes and practices.

Women’s Health Goulburn North East is implementing a cultural safety action plan that embeds cultural learning into everyday practice.

Women’s Health Grampians is currently implementing its Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan. In 2022, it established a First Nations program with a First Nations Health Promotion Officer working across priority areas on improving wellbeing and connection for First Nations women in the region.

Women’s Health Loddon Mallee’s Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan activities include Aunties on Country – Nurture and Nourishment Gatherings, connecting First Nations women with culture, community and country and facilitating opportunities to elevate First Nations voices and self-determination in women’s health.

GenWest is now approaching its third Reconciliation Action Plan, guided towards achieving its reconciliation goals by an Aboriginal Advisory Committee. By building culturally safe women’s health services in every region of the state, we are better able to contribute towards advancing First Nations health equity.

Current Reconciliation Action Plans

GenWest (Oct 2025-27)

Women’s Health in the South East (Jan 2026-27)

Women’s Health East (May 2025-27)

Women’s Health Grampians (Feb 2024-26)