The Women’s Collective meets once a week to organise Women’s campaigns and events on campus. The aims of the collective are to raise awareness of Women’s issues on campus, self confidence in all Women and giving Women a voice on campus.

Why a Women’s Collective?

Women do not have equal rights to men. Women have overcome many previous barriers but are still today faced with many issues including safety, control over our bodies, equal pay, equal rights, discrimination, access to education and the list continues. On average one in five Women will experience sexual violence at some time during their life.

However, these issues are not as high as they should be on national and international government agendas. Women’s health, work and livelihoods are being made increasingly precarious by neo-liberal economic policies around the world. In Australia, the rise of socially conservative politics has meant renewed attacks on Women’s choices in reproduction, sexuality and family life.

University women’s collectives around Australia acknowledge the importance of these issues and take an active role in dispelling myths surrounding them at a grassroots political level. The NUSA women’s collective seeks to advance the position of women both on and off campus. The collective is focused on ensuring that women have the same education and life opportunities as men, free from all forms of sexual discrimination and harassment.

Previous Campaigns

The women’s collective has been involved in many campaigns in past years. Issues that have been campaigned on include: Reproductive Rights – resistance to continued attacks on a women’s right to control her own fertility. International research shows that even if abortion is illegal Women will still seek the procedure, Prevention of Violence Against Women (VAW) – acknowledgement (as opposed to denial) of VAW and education regarding all forms of violence inflicted upon women, Body Image – celebrations of International No Diet Day and Women in Education - raising awareness of inequalities in education. The women’s collective has also been very strongly involved in the recent VSU campaign. The Newcastle Women’s Collective also produces Lunacy, a publication by students for students. Lunacy is form of independent media where women are invited to submit articles, poetry, stories and artwork to be distributed across the campus.

The Women’s Collective 2006

2006 is set to be a busy year for the Women’s collective. The Reproductive Rights campaign will continue this year with a focus on a lift of the ban on the drug RU486. This medication allows women to have a non-surgical abortion under the supervision of a qualified medical professional. This non-invasive method provides women living in remote areas with greater choice and control over their bodies. The prevention of Violence Against Women will also be a prominent issue this year. Events such as Reclaim the Night seek to dispel myths surrounding the many types of violence that are inflicted upon women. Other campaigns planned for this year include on-campus safety and the general encouragement of any actions which will advance the position of women around the world.

The Women’s Room

The women’s room is a safe place for women to relax, read, chill out when you have period pain, a place to go to breastfeed or a place where you can simply sit and chat with friends. The women’s room is a place where women can escape hostility they may be experiencing in other spaces dominated by men. The Women’s Room can be found in the NUSA building (between Student Services and the Bar on the Hill).

Meet the Women’s Convenor

Hi I’m Liz, your Women’s convenor for 2006. As you can probably tell from the above I am strongly interested in the issues of violence against women and reproductive rights. However, I am also interested in the many other issues which detrimentally affect women in Australia and around the globe. I would love to hear from others interested in these issues and have others involved in our collective. If you interested in any of the above or just curious about what is happening come and check out the Women’s Collective stall during O’week. You can also contact me via elizabeth.knight-locke@studentmail.newcastle.edu.au, on 49216006 or drop into the NUSA office and leave a message for me if I’m not there. Good luck to all for your studies in 2006.