Women’s Policy Committee

The eccv Women’s committee had a year in which past achievements were assessed and future directions considered. In the early part of 2009 all the women members of the eccv Executive met at a reconvened Women’s committee meeting to consider the which of the many pressing issues were of greatest important for the committee to pursue in 2009 and it was agreed that family violence was the most pressing and concerning issue and the eccv needed to be representing CALD Women’s interests on this matter.

The key aim of the Domestic Violence Forum will be to identify and develop recommendations around culturally appropriate strategies that will address domestic violence issues impacting culturally and linguistically diverse communities. 

The forum will focus on the development of preventative strategies and aim to draw out suitable approaches for effectively addressing current issues impacting communities.  For example:

• Creating inclusive community education methodologies and pathways
• Developing culturally and linguistically relevant men’s behaviour change programs

It is expected that the forum outcomes will contribute to domestic violence work currently being undertaken at both state and national levels.

The following groups have been identified as key stakeholders for this forum and organisers will seek to ensure their involvement and input:

• Multicultural communities
• Attorney General
• Office for Women
• Victorian Multicultural Commission
• DV Service providers

Key partners of the proposed Domestic Violence Forum include:

• Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria
• Immigrant Women’s Domestic Violence Services
• Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre
• Victorian Multicultural Commission.

As a result and after much discussion it was resolved to conduct a forum along these lines in Melbourne in the second half of 2009.

Eugenia Gramatikakis
Chairperson of Women’s Committee