About
Auspiced by the leading organisation for gender equality in this region, Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West, and supported by a range of other organisations across the Barwon South West region; Respect 2040 is a social movement to provide the resources and support for individual organisations and groups to take on and progress meaningful gender equality action – improving our community and our society while meeting the legal requirements of the state-wide Gender Equality Strategy.
It is a strategic and collective approach based on the evidence provided in Our Watch’s Change the Story framework and the Victorian Governments “Safe and Strong: A Victorian Gender Equality Strategy”; and is based on the understanding that creating a gender-equal community will take dedication and time, but by working together we can achieve generational change that benefits everyone. It also represents unprecedented alignment of political leadership and social momentum at national, state and local levels to promote and normalise gender equality and respect in public and private life.
For the Barwon South West region, it is not a starting point, but a continuation. Respect 2040 follows on from the work undertaken in this region over almost a decade, when 100 people from 52 organisations came together in 2012 to address the gendered problem of family violence in our region, launching a local strategy in 2013 (Our History).
The achievements of this work stand to strengthen further as we work together under the Respect 2040 collective.
Gender equality is when people of all genders have equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities in public and private life. It is a fundamental human right that when realised prevents family violence and other forms of violence against women and girls; and improves community participation and economic prosperity – for all.
Victoria is leading the nation in work to advance gender equality in all places where people live, work, play and learn, with the release of Safe and Strong: A Victorian Gender Equality Strategy. This Strategy sets a new standard for action and sets out the founding reforms that lay the groundwork for lasting cultural change.
The Strategy considers six settings for state-wide action in which strategic alliances and partnerships will enable shared progress towards gender equality, driving change in schools, workplaces, community groups, sporting associations and the media.
Safe and Strong is born from a world leading framework for the prevention of violence against women and their children Change the Story which identified that gender inequality was the root cause of violence against women and girls, and supporting evidence and recommendations from the 2015 Royal Commission into Family Violence. Building on over 100 years of progress made by women throughout history who have challenged the rules and regulations governing society that excluded them from equal access to the opportunities afforded to men.
Guiding Documents:
Guiding Documents:
Guiding Documents:
Respect 2040 is a social movement to provide the resources and support for individual organisations and groups in this region to take on and progress meaningful gender equality action – improving our community and our society while meeting the legal requirements of the statewide Gender Equality Strategy, where appropriate.
Respect 2040 welcomes the contribution of many people and partners from across the region. Our current partners include…
We proudly acknowledge Aboriginal people as the first peoples, Traditional Owners and custodians of the lands and waters on which this work occurs. We acknowledge and respect the wisdom, living culture and unique role that Aboriginal people hold, and saw them thrive for thousands of years. We also acknowledge the ongoing leadership role of the Aboriginal community on gender equality and the prevention of violence against women. As First Peoples, our Aboriginal communities are best placed to determine their own culturally appropriate path to gender equality.
We acknowledge the support of the State Government of Victoria Office for Women - Free from Violence Women’s Health Service Capacity Building Fund.