Improving cancer screening access for under-screened communities
Hakha Chin women experience lower rates of breast and cervical cancer screening, putting them at greater risk of preventable illness. In partnership with EACH, we worked to break down barriers and improve access to life-saving screening.
Through culturally safe education sessions delivered by bicultural workers, women learned about the importance of screening and had the opportunity to build trust with healthcare providers. This led to a dedicated screening day, where 14 women received potentially life-saving health checks, supported by our bicultural workers.
Several women were referred for follow-up care, and strong community interest resulted in additional screening sessions. The model has the potential to be adapted for other under-screened communities.
Driving leadership and collaboration for women’s sexual and reproductive health
We lead A Strategy for Equality, the regional partnership to advance sexual and reproductive health for women and girls across Melbourne’s east.
Together, members (28 members and counting) developed the new A Strategy for Equality 2025–2030, informed by extensive consultation with stakeholders and community members.
Women of migrant and refugee backgrounds, women living with disability, and First Nations women were instrumental in shaping the strategy, ensuring it reflects diverse experiences and priorities.
The result is a stronger, more inclusive roadmap to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services and drive greater health equity across Melbourne’s east.
Financial confidence, better wellbeing
Financial confidence is a powerful driver of women’s mental health and wellbeing. We help women build this confidence through financial literacy workshops that are open to all women, with a focus on those from marginalised and at-risk communities.
Our workshops show the links between financial literacy, financial security and wellbeing, covering practical topics such as budgeting, managing money and where to get support.
Participants report feeling more confident making decisions about their finances and take positive steps to support their mental health and wellbeing.
By building financial capability, we are helping women increase their independence, confidence and resilience.
Creating safer communities
Preventing gender-based violence starts long before violence occurs. It requires workplaces, leaders and communities to recognise – and to challenge – harmful attitudes and behaviours.
We have equipped thousands of leaders and staff across the local government and public sectors with the skills and confidence to do exactly this. By embedding this knowledge across entire organisations, we create cultures where respect, equality and accountability are everyone’s responsibility.
We also have a large range of practical resources tailored to the needs of diverse communities, including migrant and refugee women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, women with disability, older women and disabled young people.
Through training, resources and sector-wide knowledge sharing, we are helping build the foundations for safer, more respectful and more equitable communities.
A focus on the training sector
Every student deserves to feel safe where they learn. Yet sexual harassment and assault remain a reality across Australia’s tertiary education sector – and this is something we’re tackling in Melbourne’s east.
Through an interactive webinar tailored for professionals working across education, training and government, participants were given the space to have honest conversations, challenge myths and strengthen their understanding of preventing violence in TAFE and vocational settings.
The ‘You Can Ask That’ webinar gave participants greater confidence to challenge harmful behaviours, create respectful cultures and apply violence prevention strategies in their workplaces.
Women’s voices shaping policy
Women’s pain is too often dismissed, misunderstood or ignored. For many women, being listened to is the first step towards better health outcomes and system change.
We brought together women from diverse communities, including migrant and refugee women and women with disabilities, to share their experiences as part of Victoria’s Inquiry into Women’s Pain. In a safe and supportive environment, participants spoke openly about the challenges they face accessing care, receiving a diagnosis and having their pain taken seriously.
These perspectives and experiences shaped the submission we made to the Inquiry, ensuring the voices of women were heard by the decision-makers whose actions affect women’s healthcare across Victoria.
Abortion healthcare, closer to home
Abortion is healthcare but for many women in Melbourne’s east, accessing publicly funded abortion services meant navigating multiple barriers.
After years of advocacy by Women’s Health East and our partners, publicly funded surgical abortion services were secured, expanding access to essential healthcare and enabling more women to receive timely, affordable care closer to home.
An important step towards a health system where women can access the care they need, when they need it, regardless of where they live or their financial circumstances.