Skye Kakoschke-Moore (SA, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators Moore and Waters, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that 25 November:

  (i) is the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women which is also White Ribbon Day, and

  (ii) marks the start of the United Nations, 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign, a time to galvanize action to end violence against women and girls around the world, leading to 10 December, Human Rights Day;

(b) acknowledges the important work of women's organisations to respond to family violence, to provide frontline services like housing and legal assistance, and the work of other organisations who are part of the nation's response to family violence, like Our Watch;

(c) recognises that:

  (i) the White Ribbon campaign is a national male-led campaign to end men's violence against women and is now active in over 60 countries around the world,

  (ii) the work of White Ribbon is strongly linked with the National Action Plan to reduce violence against women and their children and build collaborative partnerships stemming from initiatives under the Plan,

  (iii) one in three women have experienced physical and/or sexual abuse perpetrated by someone known to them, and on average, one woman is killed every week in Australia as a result of domestic violence,

  (iv) across the world, violence against women and girls remains one of the most serious, and the most tolerated, human rights violations, both a cause and a consequence of gender inequality and discrimination,

  (v) prevention strategies have a proven effect on levels of violence, and if we engage the whole community in prevention and give them skills for respectful relationships, we will reduce the costs associated with violence, and

  (vi) social policy initiatives and law reform addressing gender inequality are central to reducing attitudes that support violence against women; and

(d) reinforces the need for broad community support, as well as support across at all levels of government, in the response to end the scourge of family violence.

Question agreed to.