Newsletter of the 5th Australian Women’s Health Conference
Carlton Crest Hotel, Melbourne
20  22 April, 2005
Convenor: Australian Women’s Health Network (AWHN)
www.womenshealth2005.com.au
No 2 September 2004
Welcome to the 2nd newsletter for the 5th Australian Women’s Health 
Conference to be held in April 2005.  This newsletter announces keynote 
speakers, developments in the program and key dates.  Please circulate this 
newsletter widely to your networks and colleagues and give yourself a treat 
by ensuring that you are part of this exciting event.

The Conference will offer a rare opportunity for discussion, debate and 
deliberations on a whole range of emerging issues in and for, women’s 
health  it is only once each five years that a gathering with such breadth 
and depth is held in Australia.  The strength of support for the 4th 
Australian Women’s Health Conference showed us that the women’s health 
movement in Australia is alive and well, and full of dynamic energy. We 
have every reason to believe that the 5th Australian Conference will be 
bigger and better than ever. There will be opportunities to focus on 
solutions to existing problems; to address and influence policy-makers in 
relation to areas of concern; to inform practitioners about your work; and 
establish new networks and organisational relationships that will build 
capacity to meet organisational goals.

Call for Papers
The Call for Papers closes very soon, so please ensure your abstract(s) is 
submitted by 30 September 2004. See the website for how to submit for 
either a paper or poster session.  Session themes are posted with the 
program on the conference website but if you have suggestions for 
alternative session themes, please contact us with your ideas.

Keynote Speakers
We are delighted that so many eminent women have accepted our invitation to 
provide keynote papers. They will all be available to participate in the 
conference, and we are also sure that you will not want to miss the 
opportunity to hear their contributions to our discussion and debates.

 From overseas, we will be welcoming:
·       Professor Ilona Kickbusch of Yale University, who is one of the 
World Health Organisation’s most eminent consultants. She has written 
extensively on women’s health including the effects of globalization, and 
on health promotion systems and theory.
·       Associate Professor Carol Thomas from Lancaster Uni (UK), Senior 
Lecturer in the Sociology of Health and Illness, and head of the Institute 
for Health Research. Carol is a member of the Executive Editorial Board of 
the journal Disability and Society, and has published widely. She is the 
author of Female Forms: experiencing and understanding disability (1999) 
Buckingham: Open University Press. Carol will speak on gender and disability.
·       Professor Pat Armstrong is one of the lead researchers on the 
Canada-wide research with the Centres for Excellence in Women’s Health 
program into the effects of health care reform on women. She has been 
invited to discuss her experience and insights into health system reform 
and outcomes for women.

 From across Australia:
·       Mmaskepe Sejoe, of Family Planning Welfare Association, Northern 
Territory, who has worked on human rights issues for many years.
·       Sydney-based Erica Lewis of the Women’s Peak Network run by the 
YWCA and supported by OSW, represents the activism of young women, for 
supportive systems and understanding of the challenges faced by young women.
·       Melbourne-based Penny Armytage, is First Secretary, Victorian 
Department of Justice. Penny will discuss the analysis of issues behind the 
increasing number of women at risk of being imprisoned, and the development 
and implementation of a gender responsive framework into Victoria’s 
Correctional Services.
·       Canberra based Hilary Charlesworth is Professor of International 
and Human Rights at the Australian National University and regularly 
consults for the United Nations.  Her interests include international law, 
Human Rights Law, and Feminist Legal Theory. Hilary will speak on rights 
frameworks that are necessary for the support of women’s health.

We are currently finalising the remaining plenary speakers. Details and 
program updates will be posted on the website so keep this address 
bookmarked: www.womenshealth2005.com.au

Symposia
A series of 9 Symposia are being developed, each with a focus on a key 
women’s health issue. Symposia are similar to sub-plenary sessions and will 
consist of a series of 3-5 speakers who will then form a panel, with 
opportunities for debate and discussion.  The themes of the Symposia are:
1. Women, mental health and the burden of violence
2. Reproductive and sexual health rights
3. Women and income security including economic consequences of ageing
4. Women and mental health issues  confronting the evidence
5. Health financing
6. Fertility, infertility & maternalism
7. Changing maternity care
8. Gender and equity in health policy
9. Women and social disadvantage
Chairs with particular expertise for each Symposia are being invited and 
they will be announced in the next newsletter.

Registrations
Online registrations will open via the website by 25 September.  Hard 
copies of the registration brochure are also available. Please contact The 
Meeting Planners if you would like hard copies sent out to you.  Early-bird 
registrations will close on 31 January 2005. To save money, please ensure 
that you have registered by the end of January  and consider registering 
before you take your summer holidays to ensure your place is secure at the 
early-bird rate.

Social-Arts Program
A dynamic Social-Arts Committee is firing up the Social-Arts Program of the 
Conference.  Chaired by Kathleen Walsh of Women’s Health North (Melbourne), 
this Committee will have updates in future newsletters but we are able to 
announce that the theme will be ‘Women’s Health: Culture and Diversity 
through the Arts”.  Melbourne is one of the most multi-cultural cities in 
the world, and we look forward to showcasing some of the talented women who 
represent and celebrate cultural diversity.

Consultation meeting  National Women’s Health Policy
Brainstorming for a new approach to national women's health policy that 
sees gender analysis as central to policy and structural reform will be the 
subject of the consultation meeting planned for Tuesday 19 April 
1.30-4.30pm, the day prior to the Conference.  All conference delegates are 
invited to the consultation meeting, which is provided free of charge. This 
meeting is being supported by the Australian Women’s Health Network, and 
will be held at the Carlton Crest Hotel, Melbourne.  If you intend to 
attend the meeting, please RSVP on your registration form.

Sponsorship
Perhaps your organisation would give consideration to sponsorship of a 
session? The 5th Australian Women’s Health Conference will provide an 
excellent opportunity for organisations who are involved in promoting 
women’s health to showcase their programs and projects to a targeted 
audience. Sessions available for sponsorship include the symposia, 
proffered paper sessions, poster sessions and exhibition booths.

If you are interested in the sponsorship of a session, please contact Maria 
Morley of The Meeting Planners who will provide information about the range 
of sponsorship packages available.
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Previous newsletters are available at www.womenshealth2005.com.au




Helen Keleher
Conference Convenor
5th Australian Women’s Health Conference
Conference Office: The Meeting Planners

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