In recognition of NAIDOC Week 2024, the Australian Women’s Health Alliance is proud to launch A Reflection on the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Health Strategy.
Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud is the theme for NAIDOC Week 2024.
This theme honours the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture, with fire being a symbol of connection to Country, to each other, and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
In launching our Reflection in NAIDOC Week, we pay respect to those rich traditions.
We also acknowledge and warmly thank the First Nations women and community members who took time to participate in conversations with us about this Reflection.
Background to the Reflection
In 2010 the Australian Women’s Health Alliance (formerly Network) published the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Health Strategy (the Strategy).
The Strategy was developed by the Australian Women’s Health Talking Circle, who collectively identified and developed priorities and actions to improve the health status of First Nations women, extended family and community.
A key outcome of these conversations was that First Nations women, their extended families, and their communities, should have a central role in designing, developing, implementing and evaluating community health services.
This Reflection honours our more recent conversations with First Nations women and community members as we looked back on progress towards the Strategy since 2010.
The Reflection canvasses key milestones in First Nations health policy measures. It notes that while many of the Strategy recommendations have begun, none of them have achieved full success.
Importantly, the Reflection also offers a plan with regard to First Nations women’s health policy moving forward, along with a series of recommendations to the Australian Government about where to direct funding.
Read the Reflection on the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Health Strategy (2010-2020) and please feel free to share it widely with your networks.
