Funding Boost for National Rural Women’s Coalition

Rural and regional women across Australia will have greater opportunity to engage with government with the announcement of funding for the National Rural Women’s Coalition (NRWC).

Minister for the Status of Women, Tanya Plibersek, and Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development, Maxine McKew, announced yesterday that the Australian Government would invest $600,000 over three years to ensure women from rural, regional and remote areas are able to bring forward the concerns and issues from their communities.

“The NRWC will ensure that rural women from across Australia are better able to share information, identify issues from their communities and raise concerns, in their own words, with their own solutions,” Ms Plibersek said.

“The NRWC provides a voice for over 250,000 women in rural and regional areas, as well as their families, communities and associated networks. This funding will allow the alliance to continue its work of engaging and representing to government the interests of women from rural, regional and remote areas.”

Maxine McKew said members of the NRWC represented a broad spectrum of women in rural and regional areas.

“Organisations such as the Country Women’s Association, Foundation for Australian Agricultural Women, and the National Rural Health Alliance are among the Alliance’s members,” Ms McKew said.

“The needs of women in rural and regional areas often differ to those in metropolitan areas, for example, pressures of drought and flood, distance and isolation can be profound. The NRWC will make sure the voices of women in rural and regional Australia are heard. The NRWC will also complement the newly established Regional Development Australia network, which has strong representation from women.”

NRWC is one of six National Women’s Alliances that have received funding to actively engage with the Australian Government on policy issues.

The alliances will be encouraged to align strategically with government priorities, building broad collaborative networks to ensure representation for all women, especially those who in the past have found it difficult to engage in advocacy and decision making.

For more information on the National Rural Women’s Coalition visit the website www.nrwc.com.au

Source: Minister for the Status of Women Tanya Plibersek

Photo credit: National Rural Women’s Coalition