Advocacy is at the heart of everything we do at NPY Women’s Council and has been our driving force since our inception in 1980.
Speaking up and being listened to is essential for our vision of all Aṉangu living well in both worlds. In order to be seen, heard and respected as women who hold spiritual and cultural knowledge across the NPY Lands, we need your help to platform our voices.
Read about our key advocacy priorities and how you can stand alongside Aṉangu women in creating lasting impact.
Tri state Child Protection Advocacy
Aṉangu travel extensively across the NPY region to meet kinship and cultural obligations. This creates immense challenges when families come to the attention of child protection agencies. Each of the child protection jurisdictions have their own legislation, policies and practices, which can differ vastly. This complexity has left many Aṉangu confused, overwhelmed and disempowered in their interactions with the tristate child protection agencies.
The Cost of Poverty
Aṉangu are living significantly under the poverty line. Due to remoteness, they face ongoing barriers to food security, health, education and housing. The Cost of Poverty is a systemic issue that needs to be explored in the context of the NPY Lands to demonstrate the exacerbated experiences of Aṉangu in accessing their basic human needs.
Raise the Age
In Australia, children as young as 10 can be put in prison. Australia is one of the few countries that still incarcerates children as young as 10 years old. Forcing children through a criminal legal process leads to lifelong harm to their health, wellbeing and future. NPY Women’s Council advocates to raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 years as recommended by the United Nations.
Bi-lingual Learning in Schools
93% of Aṉangu speak their local language at home. In many cases children are coming to school with little or no English. English is often acquired as a second, third or sometimes fourth language. Despite this, governments and policy makers fail to prioritise bilingual education across the region.
Remote NDIS Reform
NDIS plans are vital in the support and funding provided to people living with a disability. In remote communities, against a backdrop of little English and complex bureaucratic jargon, people’s plans often do not reflect what Aṉangu want or need, but what is often devised to be what is “best” for them.
Submissions, Research and Reports
Find evidence-based insights and formal submissions shedding light on the issues facing Aṉangu communities across the NPY region. These documents reflect our commitment to informed advocacy and policy change.