Case study 2: Advancing women’s sexual and reproductive health through state reform
We collaborate to drive crucial reform in areas such as sexual and reproductive health. This has contributed to life-saving advances towards a safe, accessible and empowering Victorian sexual and reproductive health system.
Key impacts
We have fought for the right to safe legal abortion since our establishment. We have worked as part of the pro-choice movement to drive legal reform such as the 2008 decriminalisation of abortion and 2015 safe access zones around abortion services. We continue to safeguard against new bills intended to wind back rights and access to services.
We provide research and expertise to government to support effective laws, policies and programs. This includes gathering information about local sexual and reproductive health needs across every region in the state. We map service availability across the state and provide advice on how to make services more accessible and inclusive.
We work with abortion providers to improve their services. We provide professional development to increase the number of providers and keep their knowledge of abortion provision up-to-date. We assist their services to be welcoming, accessible places where all people considering abortion feel safe and supported.
We provide non-judgemental, accurate information for people considering abortion. This includes tailored local community information in a range of languages and the WHV-led statewide phone line and website 1800 My Options.
The result
After decades of lobbying from our sector, Victoria launched the state’s first Victorian sexual and reproductive health and viral hepatitis strategy 2022–30 – which includes the Victorian women’s sexual and reproductive health plan 2022–30. We are working alongside government and other partners to deliver on the new strategy and plan.
What this looks like – examples of our work
Her Health Matters: A regional approach to sexual and reproductive health in the Loddon Mallee region
Women’s health services coordinate partnerships or advisory groups across every region in the state to deliver coordinated sexual and reproductive (SRH) health work. For instance, Women’s Health Loddon Mallee leads the region’s second strategy Her health matters: A regional approach to sexual and reproductive health in the Loddon Mallee region which brings together key stakeholders to work towrads all women in the region accessing supportive, evidence-based and culturally responsive SRH services.
Sexual and reproductive health practitioner development
Women’s health services across the state deliver professional development activities to support health practitioners improve their service provision. For instance, Women’s Health East recently delivered a series of webinars and workshops to over 150 practitioners in their region. Topics included the social determinants of women’s sexual and reproductive health inequities; medical abortion healthcare; and the sexual and reproductive health needs of trans and gender diverse communities.
Menopause and perimenopause work
Women’s Health in the South East leads a working group delivering two key menopause and perimenopause projects in the southern metropolitan region. The first is a series of community information sessions to increase understanding of menopause/perimenopause and options for symptom management. The second is a case study examining successful workplace menopause policies, aimed at encouraging organisations to adopt their own policies and to support legislative reform.
Human Relations program
GenWest delivers the five-week Human Relations program to newly arrived migrant and refugee students at the Western English Language School. It delivers culturally safe, tailored and in-language education on topics including puberty, healthy relationships, safer sex, pregnancy, body image and gender.
“The work to establish and set a new agenda for women’s sexual and reproductive health began with the campaign to get abortion out of Victorian Crimes Act. The Abortion Law Reform Association of Victoria was formed by women’s health advocates, health and legal professionals coming together… The advocacy then continued post law reform with success in bringing safe access zones legislation into place and to make women’s sexual and reproductive health a policy and funding priority. It is now a priority in the women’s health services funding agreements.”
“Despite the incredible amount of work undertaken on the smell of an oily rag, much of the sector’s work has been hidden or isn’t widely known. This reflects, in part, the political sensitivity of some of the work, like abortion law reform, where MPs were targeted with abuse and even death threats. The women’s health services were crucial in providing information and a factual evidence base, during deliberations and in implementation of change, often behind the scenes.”
“The women’s health sector has made a significant contribution to representing the reality of surgical abortion services to government and highlighting the gaps in service delivery and absence of services in so many regions. Women’s Health Victoria, 1800 My Options and the women’s health services have been instrumental in representing this story to government, as well as in raising awareness for change at a local hospital level.”