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COLLECTION NAME - Australian Council for Women - ACW - Collection - NJSN_AC-005 DATE RANGE - 16.12.1993 – 31.12.1995

By: Series: Series ListDescription: EXTENT - 4.5 standard T1 archive boxes FORMAT - Paper, video tape DIMENSIONS - 0.77 linear metres ACCOMPANYING MATERIAL - NIL TYPE OF UNIT - 4.5 standard type-1 archive boxes SIZE OF UNIT - Each (H) 25cm x (W) 18cm x (D) 40 cmContent type:
Media type:
Carrier type:
Subject(s): Online resources: Production credits:
  • CREATION OR PRODUCTION CREDITS NOTE Library permission and acknowledgement required.
Summary: SUMMARY OF SCOPE AND CONTENT This collection formed part of the Canberra Women’s Archive. The Australian Council for Women (ACW) was formed in 1993 by the Office of the Status of Women (OSW), which was a division of the Commonwealth Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The ACW was formed to identify and examine some of the major persistent obstacles to the advancement of the status of women in relation to the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women Beijing 1995 held from 4 to 15 September, 1995. Several major strategies were to be developed which would influence the position of all Australian women in society and assist with Australia’s preparations for the conference. The Hon. Carmen Lawrence, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women, led the Australian delegation to the UN Beijing Conference. Members of the Council were: Sandra Yates (Chair), Hilary Charlesworth, Cathy Cole, Melissa Del Borrello, Ingrid Fitzgerald, Lynne Fitzgerald, Noela L'Estrange, Suzette Mitchell, Elizabeth Parsons, Annette Shun Wah, and Kathy Steenstrup. The role and responsibilities of the ACW were to: 1. Inform the community about the World Conference on Women and to encourage all women to participate; 2. Provide expert advice to the Australian Government on the most effective and strategic way to prepare for the World Conference; 3. Liaise with non-government organizations (NGOs) on their preparations for the World Conference and to feed back on Government Planning; 4. Consult with all community sectors including NGOs, academia, the private sector, the media, and the public in identifying the strategies to address the major persistent obstacles in advancing the status of women. The Council formed the following working groups: 1. Women and Decision-Making, 2. Women and Family, 3. Women and the Economy, 4. Young Women, 5. Women and Health. Council activities included: * More than 30 public consultations were held in every State and Territory; * Questionnaires were sent to national NGO’s; * In 1994 “Purple Postcards” canvassed the views of Australian women on issues most important to them; * “Purple Postcards” in 1995 summarised eleven areas of concern and sought feedback on key areas and proposed strategies for change; * Members of the Council addressed hundreds of conferences, meetings and workshops all over the country; * Council's activities focused media attention on the preparations for the World Conference through press, television and radio reports; * Four reports were prepared for the Government including recommendations on key strategies for advancing the status of women; * Council members met with ministerial advisers in identified areas of concern; * Members of the Council participated in Government delegations to important preparatory meetings of the Conference: The 38th and 39th sessions of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York and the Asia Pacific Ministerial Preparatory Regional Meeting in Jakarta. The following projects were undertaken by ACW: * Production of “Voices”, an information video promoting the Conference; * Badges and stickers were designed featuring the ACW logo to commemorate Australia’s participation in the Beijing Conference and Forum’95; * The campaign, “Beijing in Your Own Backyard”, allowed women in Australia to forge links with the Conference and the Forum by holding local events; * A Teacher’s Kit was produced for the Conference for use in high schools. The ACW’s work was reflected in the broad areas of the Australian commitment announced by Carmen Lawrence in her address to the UN. Significant outcomes of the Conference were: * Teaching children alternate means of conflict resolution in schools; * Recognition of unpaid work in national accounts; * The recognition of sexuality as a human right. Although there is no specific reference to sexual orientation in the final document the issue was widely debated and remained on the agenda until the last hours of the conference. Many countries said they would interpret the document to include sexual orientation in any event; * Recognition of the distinctive rights of the girl child including an equal right to education, equal share of the family’s resources, and access to confidential health information; * Access to sport and exercise for women and girls; * Recognizing and promoting women’s rights as human rights; * Seeking to remove criminal penalties for women who have undergone illegal abortions; * A clear recognition of the need to involve women in decision making at policy level in both government and private arenas; * Recognition that women’s health is fundamental to the health of the community; * Recognition of the long-term effects of anti-personnel mines. More than 250 events took place as Australians celebrated the Beijing conference through “Beijing in your Own Backyard”. Many women from all backgrounds were involved in these events. The Australian Government made its commitments public and adopted the Platform for Action without reservation. Council activities lasted for a period of over two years during which it met eleven times disbanding on 31 December 1995. PRODUCTION NOTES Video: 'Voices: 1994' (3 copies), produced by ACW to highlight the UN Fourth World Conference on Women and Forum '95'. The video features a number of Australian women in diverse fields discussing their aims and achievements, including Sharon Firebrace: National Indigenous Businesswoman of the Year; Dr Nourasalehi: Nuclear Physicist; Janice Florence: Comedy Writer; Jane Kennedy: Performer; Rosie Smith: Amy Sanders: Sally Dastey: ‘Tiddas’; Samantha Thornton: Australian Women’s Basketball Team; Marianna Costea: Filmmaker; Donna Jackson: Women’s Circus; Sandra Yates: Chair of ACW; Danielle Tyson; Lisa Jackson; Evelyn Rosales; Kath McKay; Sawson Madina: SBS, the first woman head of TV 1994; Kate Gilmore: Royal Women’s Hospital. "Voices" is an initiative of the Australian Federal Government, Australian Council for Women, c/o Office of the Status of Women, 3-5 National Circuit, Barton, ACT 2600. Production information: Time 12 mins 43 secs. Produced and directed by Sylvie Shaw. Camera: Joanne Donahoe, Nadia Cossich. Sound: Gretchen Thornburn, Leonie Dickinson, Ro Woods. Production Coordinator: Nadia Cossich. Production Assistant: Kath McKay, Amanda Hart. Narrator: Annette Shun Wah. Editor: David Hitchins. Composer: Andree Greenwell. Music performed by Helen Mountfort, Andree Greenwell. Audio post-production: Doron Kippen. Set designer: Simon Rigg> Photographer: Ruth Maldison. Animation: Marshall White. ‘Sing about Life’ written by Lou Bennett: recorded by ‘Tiddas’ on Id/Phonogram through PolyGram Pty Ltd.
Holdings
Item type Current library Collection Call number Status Date due Barcode
Archives - Collection Archives - Collection Jessie Street National Women's Library Archives Australian Council for Women - ACW - Collection Compartment 1/Bay 1/Shelf 1/Position 1-5 (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Available for reference in the library

CONTENTS

BOX 1 1/1/1/1
1. File 8 – ACW Minutes Meeting 1, 16.12.1993 – Inaugural meeting, includes papers on organisational goals; ACW Minutes Meeting 2, 9-10 February 1994, includes draft minutes, business papers tabled.

2. File 9 – ACW Minutes Meeting 3, 13-14 April 1994, draft minutes, tabled business papers and reports, questionnaire responses from women's organisations.

3. File 10 – ACW Minutes Meetings 4 to 11, June 1994 to November 1995; note no minutes held for Meeting 5, records consist of action schedule, list of business and background papers and report; note no minutes held for Meeting 11, records consist of an agenda, letters and consultant profile.

4. File 11 – ACW Minutes Executive Meetings 1,3,4, June 1994 to November 1995; note no minutes held for Meeting 2.

5. File 12 – Purple Postcards, survey results, related papers, final report, 1994.

BOX 2 1/1/1/2
1. File 1 – Correspondence 1.12.1993 – 30.6.1994.

2. File 2 – Correspondence 1.6.1994 – 28.2.1995.

BOX 3 1/1/1/3
1. Papers / Publications: Women's Health 1991-1994.

2. Papers / Publications: Trade Unions 1994.

3. Papers / Publications: Office for the Status of Women, 1993-1994.

4. Papers / Publications: Industrial Relations, 1992-1994.

5. Papers / Publications: Education, 1994-1995.

6. Papers / Publications: International Conference on Population & Development, Cairo, 1994.

7. Papers / Publications: 2nd Asian & Pacific Ministerial Conference on Women & Development, Jakarta, 1994.

8. Papers / Publications: UN, UNIFEM, IWRAU, ACOSS, ACFOA, 1992-1995.

9. Papers / Publications: National Women's Consultative Council (NWCC), 'Making Connections: A guide to Coalition Building for Women's Groups, Commonwealth of Australia, 1990.

10. International Women's Tribune Centre (IWTC), 1994-1995.

11. Department of Prime Minister & Government, 1994-1995, includes statements by Carmen Lawrence, Paul Keating (Prime Minister) and government publications.

12. Teacher's Kit Project: 'Women 2000', 1994-1995.

13. Papers / Publications: National Council of Women of Australia, Inc Ltd, Quarterly Bulletin, Vols 8,9,10: 1.12.1993 – 31.3.1994.

BOX 4 1/1/1/4
1. File 1: Publications: Office for the Status of Women, 1994-1995.

2. File 2: 'Action News', Newsletter of Affirmative Action Agency, 1994-1995.

3. File 3: 'CAPOW' Bulletins 1994, Coalition of Australian Participating Organisations of Women.

4. File 4: Publications: Australian Council for Women, 1995.

5. File 5: 'Trust the Women: Women in the Australian Federal Parliament', 1992.

6. File 6: Publications: National Women's Consultative Council, 1993.

7. File 7: Australian China Friendship Society Bulletins no 264, 265, August-September 1994.

8. File 8: Issues Paper Discrimination Legislation, September 1993.

9. File 9: Unit Newsletter, Department of Industrial Relations, April 1994.

10. File 10: Papers / Publications: World Summit for Social Development, Denmark, 1995.

11. File 11: Registration brochure for 'Women, Power and Politics', to mark centenary of votes for women in South Australia, South Australian Government, 1994.

12. File 12: Brochures on women's issues, 1994-1996.

13. File 13: Australian Council of Women, newsclippings, 1994-95.

14. File 14: Australian Council of Women, newsclippings, 1994-95.

15. Australian Council of Women, 'Voices' – 3 video cassettes featuring Australian women discussing aims and achievements in their individual fields.

BOX 5 1/1/1/5
1. File 1: ACW Reports to Federal Government, 1994-1995.

2. File 2: Reports and agendas of meetings in relation to consultations held throughout Australia, 1994.

3. File 3: 'Women on the Move', UN Publications, Nos 2, 1994, 8 & 9, 1995.

4. File 4: Media reports and proposals, 1994-1995.

5. File 5: Summary of speeches and outcomes – 'After Beijing' report based on notes of Misha Schubert and Susie Brennan, 1996.

6. File 6: Critical areas of concern after consultations held throughout Australia, 1994.

7. File 7: ACW Office Bearers

8. File 8: ACW Questionnaire: March 1994.

9. File 9: 'Beijing in your own backyard' campaign, 1995.

10. File 10: Financial statements, 1993-96.

11. File 11: Sandra Yate's Beijing Speech (1995), 'Women and the Economy' Conference, National Council for Women, 1994.

12. Farewell from the ACW, disbanded 31.12.1995.

RESTRICTIONS ON USE - INTELLECTION/PUBLICATION
Library permission and acknowledgement required.

RESTRICTIONS OF PHYSICAL ACCESS
Available for research, not for loan.

CREATION OR PRODUCTION CREDITS NOTE
Library permission and acknowledgement required.

NUMBERING PECULIARITIES
Irregular numbering - irregular boxing.



SUMMARY OF SCOPE AND CONTENT

This collection formed part of the Canberra Women’s Archive.

The Australian Council for Women (ACW) was formed in 1993 by the Office of the Status of Women (OSW), which was a division of the Commonwealth Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The ACW was formed to identify and examine some of the major persistent obstacles to the advancement of the status of women in relation to the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women Beijing 1995 held from 4 to 15 September, 1995. Several major strategies were to be developed which would influence the position of all Australian women in society and assist with Australia’s preparations for the conference. The Hon. Carmen Lawrence, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women, led the Australian delegation to the UN Beijing Conference.

Members of the Council were:
Sandra Yates (Chair), Hilary Charlesworth, Cathy Cole, Melissa Del Borrello, Ingrid Fitzgerald, Lynne Fitzgerald, Noela L'Estrange, Suzette Mitchell, Elizabeth Parsons, Annette Shun Wah, and Kathy Steenstrup.

The role and responsibilities of the ACW were to:

1. Inform the community about the World Conference on Women and to encourage all women to participate;

2. Provide expert advice to the Australian Government on the most effective and strategic way to prepare for the World Conference;

3. Liaise with non-government organizations (NGOs) on their preparations for the World Conference and to feed back on Government Planning;

4. Consult with all community sectors including NGOs, academia, the private sector, the media, and the public in identifying the strategies to address the major persistent obstacles in advancing the status of women.

The Council formed the following working groups:

1. Women and Decision-Making,

2. Women and Family,

3. Women and the Economy,

4. Young Women,

5. Women and Health.

Council activities included:

* More than 30 public consultations were held in every State and Territory;

* Questionnaires were sent to national NGO’s;

* In 1994 “Purple Postcards” canvassed the views of Australian women on issues most important to them;

* “Purple Postcards” in 1995 summarised eleven areas of concern and sought feedback on key areas and proposed strategies for change;

* Members of the Council addressed hundreds of conferences, meetings and workshops all over the country;

* Council's activities focused media attention on the preparations for the World Conference through press, television and radio reports;

* Four reports were prepared for the Government including recommendations on key strategies for advancing the status of women;

* Council members met with ministerial advisers in identified areas of concern;

* Members of the Council participated in Government delegations to important preparatory meetings of the Conference: The 38th and 39th sessions of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York and the Asia Pacific Ministerial Preparatory Regional Meeting in Jakarta.

The following projects were undertaken by ACW:

* Production of “Voices”, an information video promoting the Conference;

* Badges and stickers were designed featuring the ACW logo to commemorate Australia’s participation in the Beijing Conference and Forum’95;

* The campaign, “Beijing in Your Own Backyard”, allowed women in Australia to forge links with the Conference and the Forum by holding local events;

* A Teacher’s Kit was produced for the Conference for use in high schools.

The ACW’s work was reflected in the broad areas of the Australian commitment announced by Carmen Lawrence in her address to the UN. Significant outcomes of the Conference were:

* Teaching children alternate means of conflict resolution in schools;

* Recognition of unpaid work in national accounts;

* The recognition of sexuality as a human right. Although there is no specific reference to sexual orientation in the final document the issue was widely debated and remained on the agenda until the last hours of the conference. Many countries said they would interpret the document to include sexual orientation in any event;

* Recognition of the distinctive rights of the girl child including an equal right to education, equal share of the family’s resources, and access to confidential health information;

* Access to sport and exercise for women and girls;

* Recognizing and promoting women’s rights as human rights;

* Seeking to remove criminal penalties for women who have undergone illegal abortions;

* A clear recognition of the need to involve women in decision making at policy level in both government and private arenas;

* Recognition that women’s health is fundamental to the health of the community;

* Recognition of the long-term effects of anti-personnel mines.

More than 250 events took place as Australians celebrated the Beijing conference through “Beijing in your Own Backyard”. Many women from all backgrounds were involved in these events. The Australian Government made its commitments public and adopted the Platform for Action without reservation.

Council activities lasted for a period of over two years during which it met eleven times disbanding on 31 December 1995.




PRODUCTION NOTES
Video: 'Voices: 1994' (3 copies), produced by ACW to highlight the UN Fourth World Conference on Women and Forum '95'. The video features a number of Australian women in diverse fields discussing their aims and achievements, including Sharon Firebrace: National Indigenous Businesswoman of the Year; Dr Nourasalehi: Nuclear Physicist; Janice Florence: Comedy Writer; Jane Kennedy: Performer; Rosie Smith: Amy Sanders: Sally Dastey: ‘Tiddas’; Samantha Thornton: Australian Women’s Basketball Team; Marianna Costea: Filmmaker; Donna Jackson: Women’s Circus; Sandra Yates: Chair of ACW; Danielle Tyson; Lisa Jackson; Evelyn Rosales; Kath McKay; Sawson Madina: SBS, the first woman head of TV 1994; Kate Gilmore: Royal Women’s Hospital.
"Voices" is an initiative of the Australian Federal Government, Australian Council for Women, c/o Office of the Status of Women, 3-5 National Circuit, Barton, ACT 2600.
Production information: Time 12 mins 43 secs. Produced and directed by Sylvie Shaw. Camera: Joanne Donahoe, Nadia Cossich. Sound: Gretchen Thornburn, Leonie Dickinson, Ro Woods. Production Coordinator: Nadia Cossich. Production Assistant: Kath McKay, Amanda Hart. Narrator: Annette Shun Wah. Editor: David Hitchins. Composer: Andree Greenwell. Music performed by Helen Mountfort, Andree Greenwell. Audio post-production: Doron Kippen. Set designer: Simon Rigg> Photographer: Ruth Maldison. Animation: Marshall White. ‘Sing about Life’ written by Lou Bennett: recorded by ‘Tiddas’ on Id/Phonogram through PolyGram Pty Ltd.



CONDITIONS AFFECTING REPRODUCTION
Permission and acknowledgement is required to copy material for research purposes.

DATE OF ACQUISITION
Early 1996

EXTENT
0.77 linear metres

INFORMATION RELATING TO COPYRIGHT STATUS
Permission and acknowledgement is required to copy material for research purposes.

LANGUAGE NOTE
English

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