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Each of the category headings below contain links to organisations that provide information and/or services relevant to the VWDN AIS and women with disabilities.
Access to health services in Victoria
Disability - information, advocacy, services
Human rights
Parenting and reproductive rights
Violence against women
Women's information
Access to health services in Victoria
BreastScreen Victoria is a government funded mammography screening program in Australia for women without breast symptoms or breast problems which aims to detect breast cancer early in its development when treatment can be most effective.
PapScreen Victoria provides information and support for women and health professionals on Pap tests and related issues.
CASA Forum Victorian Centres Against Sexual Assault
The Victorian CASA Forum is the peak body of the 15 Centres Against Sexual Assault, and the Victorian Sexual Assault Crisis Line (after hours). CASA Forum works to ensure that women, children and to live free of violence. It comprises a membership of Women's family/domestic violence services operating across the state of Victoria.
Family Planning Victoria (FPV)
FPV is an independent, non profit-making organisation that aims to offer reliable, up-to-date and non-judgmental information about contraception, family planning, safe sex and sexual and reproductive health. FPV has a Disability Services Unit, which provides counselling and educational services in the area of human relations, sexuality and sexual health for people with disabilities, parents, carers and families, teachers and other disability services workers.
Victorian Women's Health Program
The Victorian Women's Health Program aims to improve the health and well being of all Victorian women (with an emphasis on those most at risk), through the development and dissemination of health.
The Royal Women’s Hospital is Australia’s largest specialist hospital dedicated to improving the health of all women and newborn babies. The hospital has a social model of care that recognises factors such as housing, income and stress affect women's ability to care for themselves.
Centre for Developmental Disability Health (CDDH), Victoria
The Centre for Developmental Disability Health (CDDHV) is an academic unit at Monash University established by the Victorian State Government to improve health outcomes for people with developmental disabilities through a range of educational, research and clinical activities. The Centre provides services in the area of disability and sexuality, including group education, educational counselling, provision of sexual knowledge assessments, and telephone consultation and advice.
Disability - information, advocacy, services
Victoria
Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU)
DARU is a statewide service run by and for people with disabilities. The ways DARU resources the Disability Advocacy sector and Disability Advocates includes: ensuring people with disabilities have their voices heard; sending out weekly email updates; maintaining a website with links to a range of resources; organising forums; offering a clearinghouse to support advocacy efforts; and providing a resource and equipment library for disability advocates.
Disability Advisory Council of Victoria (DACV)
The principal purpose of DACV is to provide advice to the Victorian Minister for Community Services on issues concerning people with disabilities in order to assist the Victorian Government achieve its stated policy objectives as detailed in the Victorian State Disability Plan 2002-2012.
Disability Services Division (DSD), Department of Human Services Victoria
Disability Services is a division of the Department of Human Services (DHS) and is a significant component of the portfolio of the Minister for Community Services & Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Gavin Jennings MLC. The role of DSD is to fund providers across the non-government sector to provide direct support and care for people with an intellectual, physical, sensory and neurological disability, and acquired brain injury in Victoria.
Disability Service Commissioner
The Commissioner has been created to work with people with a disability and disability service providers to resolve complaints. The Commissioner commenced on 1 July 2007 under the Disability Act 2006 to improve services for people with a disability in Victoria. The Commissioner is independent of government, the Department of Human Services and disability service providers and provides a free confidential and supportive complaints resolution process.
The Commissioner encourages and assists the resolution of complaints in a variety of ways including discussions, conciliation processes, or under certain circumstances, through investigations.
Contains links to a full range of disabilities services in Victoria.
Office of the Public Advocate (OPA)
The OPA promotes the human rights, interests and dignity of Victorians with a disability.
Disability Discrimination Legal Service (DDLS)
The goal of the DDLS is to maintain, promote and carry out the aims of the Disability Discrimination Act 1993. The DDLS provides information, referrals, advice, casework assistance, community legal education and contributes to policy and law reform. Information about disability discrimination law is provided by the DDLS in a range of formats free to all members of the community. The DDLS has developed, in collaboration with Villamanta Legal Service and Victoria Legal Aid, a publication about Commonwealth and Victorian disability discrimination laws. It is called Using Disability Discrimination Law: A booklet for people with disabilities and can be downloaded from the DDLS website.
Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service
Villamanta is a free statewide legal service that works on disability related legal issues. Villamanta's mission is to advance the rights of people who have a disability related justice issue. Services provided include information, advice, referral, legal assistance, casework, community legal education and cont
Federation of Community Legal Centres Vic
The Federation is the peak body for over 50 Community Legal Centres (CLCs) in Victoria. The Federation uses a range of strategies to achieve social justice, focusing predominantly on law reform, legal system reform and issues relating to access to justice. The Federation has produced discussion papers related to violence against women with disabilities.
The aim of the Office for Disability is to encourage and influence Victorian Government policy and activities to improve outcomes for people with a disability and to deal with barriers to participation in our communities; and to progress the vision and goals of the Victorian State Disability Plan 2002 - 2012 and the mandate of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006.
Youth Disability Advocacy Service
YDAS works alongside young people with disabilities between the ages of 12 and 25 to raise awareness of their rights and to support them to achieve what they want. YDAS provides one-on-one support through their individual advocacy service and also work on broader social issues affecting young people with disabilities through systemic advocacy.Australia
Women with Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is the peak organisation for women with all types of disabilities in Australia. WWDA advocates to promote equity, reduce suffering, poverty, discrimination WWDA is unique, in that it operates as a national disability organisation, a national women's organisation; and a national human rights organisation. WWDA addresses diability within a social model, which identifies the barriers and restrictions facing women with disabilities as the focus for reform. WWDA's policy and programs areas have included: Preventing Violence Against Women with Disabilities, Sterilisation and Reproductive Health of Women and Girls with Disabilities; Leadership and Mentoring; Health and Well-Being.Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO)
The Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO) has been established as the primary national voice to Government that fully represents the interests of all people with disability across Australia. AFDO’s mission is to champion the rights of people with disability in Australia and help them participate fully in Australian life.
National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA)
The National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) is the only national voice advocating for the rights and interests of people from non-English speaking background (NESB) with disability, their families and carers throughout Australia.
International
Center for Research on Women with Disabilities (CROWD)
The mission of the Center for Research on Women with Disabilities, based in Texas, is to promote, develop, and disseminate information to improve the health and expand the life choices of women withdisabilities. Research topics at the Center include: Sexuality and Reproductive Health, Access to Health Care, Violence against Women with Disabilities.
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The purpose of the convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by persons with disabilities. It covers a number of key areas such as accessibility, personal mobility, health, education, employment, habilitation and rehabilitation, participation in political life, and equality and non-discrimination. The convention marks a shift in thinking about disability from a social welfare concern, to a human rights issue, which acknowledges that societal barriers and prejudices are themselves disabling.
DisAbled Women's Network (DAWN)
DAWN Canada's mission is to end the poverty, isolation, discrimination and violence experienced by women with disabilities. DAWN Canada is an organisation run by and comprised of women with disabilities. DAWN Canada is an organisation run by and comprised of women who self-identify as Women with disAbilities.
UK Disability Forum for European Affairs (UKDFfEA). Women's Committee
The UK Disability Forum for European Affairs (UKDFfEA) Women's Committee is the only national organisation of disabled women in the United Kingdom (UK).
Victoria
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
The Commission's role includes helping resolve disability related discrimination complaints, providing education about equal opportunity, undertaking projects to reduce discrimination, racial and religious intolerance; conduct research and provide legal and policy advice; undertake specific functions in relation to the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.
Australia
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC)
HREOC's goal is to foster greater understanding and protection of human rights in Australia and to address the human rights concerns of a broad range of individuals and groups. HREOC’s responsibilities include: education and public awareness; discrimination and human rights complaints; human rights compliance; policy and legislative development.
International
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The purpose of the convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by persons with disabilities. It covers a number of key areas such as accessibility, personal mobility, health, education, employment, habilitation and rehabilitation, participation in political life, and equality and non-discrimination. The convention marks a shift in thinking about disability from a social welfare concern, to a human rights issue, which acknowledges that societal barriers and prejudices are themselves disabling.
Parenting and reproductive rights
Victoria
Parenting Research Centre is a statewide service that undertakes parenting research and evaluates parenting programs. It provides evidence based training and consultancy services to professionals in relation to parenting issues and how to apply the results of its research. The Parenting Research Centre also develops and disseminates a range of resource materials including those developed as part of the Positive Parenting Program.
The Office of the Child Safety Commissioner is a new organisation that makes children a priority. The Commissioner provides advice to the Minister for Children on issues impacting on the lives of children, in particular vulnerable children. Core functions include: promoting child-safe environments, monitoring Victoria’s out-of-home care system, reviewing the administration of the Working with Children Act 2005 and educating and informing the community about the Act.
Women with Individual Needs (WIN) clinic , Royal Women's Hospital
The WIN clinic is a pregnancy clinic at the Royal Women's Hospital for women who require greater one on one assistance with information or with special learning needs (intellectual disability).
Australia
Research conducted within this collaboration addresses parenting with disabilities.
Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS)
The Institute hosts various online journal articles and conference papers related to disabled parenting.
Sexual Health and Family Planning Australia
Sexual Health and Family Planning Australia (SH&FPA) is a national federation of eight independent state and territory sexual health and family planning organisations (FPOs). FPO’s play a key role in the provision of information and education services about sexuality and sexual health to the public, including reproduction, contraceptive methods and relationships and self-esteem.
International
Disability, Pregnancy and Parenthood International (DPPI)
Disability, Pregnancy & Parenthood international (DPPi) is a small UK based registered charity, controlled by disabled parents, which promotes better awareness and support for disabled people considering, during and after pregnancy and as parents.
Victoria
Domestic Violence Victoria (DVVic)
DVVic is a value driven peak advocacy organisation committed to the rights of women and children to live free of violence. It comprises a membership of Women's family/domestic violence services operating across the State of Victoria.
Domestic Violence Resource Centre (DVRC)
DVRC is a statewide service in Victoria, Australia. DVRC aims to reduce and prevent family violence by providing education to improve service and policy responses, and by assisting people who have experienced abuse. DVRC provides information and referral to specialist support services; helpful pamphlets and websites; professional training courses; a comprehensive library; a quarterly newsletter; discussion papers, books and other publications; and commentary on policy initiatives and law reform.
CASA Forum Victorian Centres Against Sexual Assault
The Victorian CASA Forum is the peak body of the 15 Centres Against Sexual Assault, and the Victorian Sexual Assault Crisis Line (after hours). CASA Forum works to ensure that women, children and men who are victim/survivors of sexual assault have access to comprehensive and timely support and intervention to address their needs. They also work towards the elimination of sexual violence through community and professional education, informing government policy, advocating for law reform and facilitating research to increase community understanding of the nature and incidence of sexual assault.
Australia
Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault (ACSSA)
The Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault aims to improve access to current information and resources in order to assist those committed to working against sexual assault. ACSSA will help to support and develop strategies that aim to prevent, respond to, and ultimately reduce the incidence of this crime. ACSSA is funded by the Office for Women, Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse
The Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse is a national resource on issues of domestic violence and family violence. It provides a central point for the collection and dissemination of Australian domestic and family violence policy, practice and research. It aims to meet the information needs of government agencies, generalist and specialist service providers, researchers and interested members of the public.
Women with Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is the peak organisation for women with all types of disabilities in Australia. WWDA advocates to promote equity, reduce suffering, poverty, discrimination WWDA is unique, in that it operates as a national disability organisation, a national women's organisation; and a national human rights organisation. WWDA addresses diability within a social model, which identifies the barriers and restrictions facing women with disabilities as the focus for reform. WWDA's policy and programs areas have included: Preventing Violence Against Women with Disabilities, Sterilisation and Reproductive Health of Women and Girls with Disabilities; Leadership and Mentoring; Health and Well-Being.
International
Australasian Council of Women and Policing
The Australasian Council of Women and Policing is a growing group of women and men within police services and the community who work together to improve policing for women.
Center for Research on Women with Disabilities (CROWD)
The mission of the Center for Research on Women with Disabilities, based in Texas, is to promote, develop, and disseminate information to improve the health and expand the life choices of women withdisabilities. Research topics at the Center include: Sexuality and Reproductive Health, Access to Health Care, Violence against Women with Disabilities.
DisAbled Women's Network (DAWN)
DAWN Canada's mission is to end the poverty, isolation, discrimination and violence experienced by women with disabilities. DAWN Canada is an organisation run by and comprised of women with disabilities. DAWN Canada is an organisation run by and comprised of women who self-identify as Women with disAbilities.
National Clearinghouse on Family Violence
The NCFV is Canada’s resource centre for information on violence within relationships of kinship, intimacy, dependency or trust.
Education on Wife Assault (EWA)
EWA’s work includes a program for Women with Disabilities. The aim of the program is to increase awareness, skills and community capacity as it relates to women with disabilities who are abused or at risk of abuse. This includes the provision of workshops and consultations for mainstream and disability ser
Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse (MINCAVA)
Mincava provides research, education and access to violence related resources, including violence prevention training manuals, curricula and teaching resources to assist with violence prevention training.
SafePlace runs a programme called Disability Services ASAP, which provides education to people with disabilities in order to increase awareness about abuse, healthy relationships and sexuality.
UK Disability Forum for European Affairs (UKDFfEA). Women's Committee
The UK Disability Forum for European Affairs (UKDFfEA) Women's Committee is the only national organisation of disabled women in the United Kingdom (UK).
Victoria
Women's Health Victoria: Clearinghouse Connector
The Clearinghouse Connector is a monthly collection of online resources selected to provide information on a specific topic of women's health. Resources cover information from research, statistics, government policy, prevailing social conditions affecting women's health status, and clinical and therapeutic management of health matters. All resources profiled in the Connector are available in the Clearinghouse collection. Topics include: Women and urinary continence; Abortion; Lesbian health; Body image; Physical activity; Menopause; Financial Security; Women with disabilities; Advocacy; Sexual and reproductive health education; Anxiety and depression.
Women's Information provides free information, support and referrals to women across Victoria.
Victorian Women's Health Program
The Victorian Women’s Health Program aims to improve the health and well being of all Victorian women (with an emphasis on those most at risk), through the development and dissemination of health information and research and through the provision of community and professional education. Women's Health Services work to improve the health and wellbeing of all women, but prioritize those population groups for whom access to health services is difficult. These include Koori women; women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; women with disabilities; rural women and those identified by state-wide, regional and community health planning processes.
Coordinates and monitors government policies and programs to do with women. This web site has information about their current areas of work and a list of their publications.
Australia
Women with Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is the peak organisation for women with all types of disabilities in Australia. WWDA advocates to promote equity, reduce suffering, poverty, discrimination WWDA is unique, in that it operates as a national disability organisation, a national women's organisation; and a national human rights organisation. WWDA addresses diability within a social model, which identifies the barriers and restrictions facing women with disabilities as the focus for reform. WWDA's policy and programs areas have included: Preventing Violence Against Women with Disabilities, Sterilisation and Reproductive Health of Women and Girls with Disabilities; Leadership and Mentoring; Health and Well-Being.
International
UK Disability Forum for European Affairs (UKDFfEA). Women's Committee
The UK Disability Forum for European Affairs (UKDFfEA) Women's Committee is the only national organisation of disabled women in the United Kingdom (UK).