Our Watch welcomes the launch of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032.

This second National Plan builds on the world-first National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022, under which Our Watch was established as the national prevention organisation.

Acknowledging the new 10-year Plan as comprehensive and ambitious, Our Watch CEO, Patty Kinnersly, said she is pleased to see primary prevention – working to stop violence before it starts – recognised as a dedicated national priority.

“Our Watch welcomes the prioritisation of gender equality and primary prevention as a dedicated pillar in the Plan, and we are pleased to see the use of flagship Our Watch frameworks, such as Change the story, to inform and underpin the Plan,” Ms Kinnersly said.

“Along with the inclusion of a more diverse range of lived experiences, we are also pleased to see a greater emphasis on the importance of working with men and boys, which the evidence shows plays a critical part in effective prevention.”

Ms Kinnersly said a dedicated commitment to primary prevention in the new Plan aligns with the interest Our Watch is seeing in its work from leaders across all settings.

“With record demand for Our Watch’s support and services in workplaces, learning institutions, sporting clubs and media, we know a growing number of people are committed to prioritising gender equality, and to preventing violence before it starts. We will continue to work with governments and leaders to grow our reach nationally, working with more people in more places.”

While Ms Kinnersly said the new Plan underscores the progress we have made as a nation, there is still more to do.

“We look forward to working with governments to develop the Action Plan and Outcomes Framework that will support the Plan, including to make sure there are strong mechanisms for tracking progress against the new National Plan.

“We also look forward to seeing a dedicated focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women over the next 10 years. Our Watch supports the work of the First Nations Advisory Group, and its development of a stand-alone Action Plan.

“All of us, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and non-Indigenous people, organisations, and all levels of government, have a responsibility to work together to prevent violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children, and it is positive to see this work progressing as a priority.”

Ms Kinnersly said that while violence against women is preventable, it requires a whole-of-community responsibility.

“It’s up to everyone to create a new normal, where women and men and girls and boys are respected as equals, and while there is no doubt this new Plan is ambitious, it provides a framework for the action we must take over the next 10 years to prioritise prevention and stop violence before it starts.

“Until every woman is safe, equal and free from violence, our work continues,” Ms Kinnersly said.

Our Watch provided ongoing advice and input to inform development of the new National Plan as a member of the National Plan Advisory Group (NPAG).

Read the new National Plan here.

Please contact media@ourwatch.org.au or 0448 844 930

*If you cover this story, or any story regarding violence against women and children, please include the following tagline:

“If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, family or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.”
To access guides for reporting about violence against women and their children, visit Media Making Change.

Our Watch is a national leader in Australia’s work to stop violence against women and their children before it starts. The organisation was created to drive nation-wide change in the practices, norms, and structures that lead to violence against women and children.