Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 13 Hansard (21 November) . . Page.. 3884 ..

MS DUNDAS (continuing):

the rights of young women. Even after further discussion with the Office for Women, no changes have been made to this council.

It is so important to have young women involved in processes relating to their wellbeing right from the beginning. Just because young women don't have a vote does not mean they don't have a voice. We need to encourage and welcome their participation as key members of our community as soon as we possibly can, so that they are empowered from an early age to stand up and fight for their rights and improve their own status and the status of women around them. We have seen and know that young women's involvement in improving their own status has helped improve the status of all women and of the community.

Another key factor in the status of women is health, as this is a key indicator of social wellbeing. As has been mentioned by my colleagues, health was a key issue as we looked at the status of women in the ACT. Mental health specifically came up again and again as an important factor of how women feel about themselves and how they can participate in the community, and there is a lot that needs to be done in improving the mental health of women here in the ACT and supporting women as they go through difficult times in their lives.

There was also recommendation 12 that we put to the government relating to young women and health. We have in the ACT the Junction Youth Health Centre, which provides an important service to young women, many of whom do not want to go to their family GPs due to concerns over confidentiality and other issues.

But the Junction, as it says in its submission, is run off its feet. It said:

We need to look at more efficient funding so it can look at alternative hours, taking in more young people and running specific programs for young women. It can also look at referral points or pathways young women can go on to. It may be an outside program, but it all comes together under the umbrella of the Junction. One model alone is not usually enough, because there's nowhere to refer on to. Under that funding, and with the hours it's open, you can build up a dependency with your client group. It's essential that you move them on, but there don't appear to be the service providers and direct workers in the ACT. There's nowhere to send them off to.

Recommendation 12 requests that the government provide additional funding to the Junction health service to extend its hours so that women will be able to access it, but also to enhance the range and breadth of referral pathways for complex clients.

There was also the important issue of sex education in schools for young women, and this is a key issue-empowerment. Young women feel vulnerable sometimes in terms of sex and need to feel that they can practise safe sex to look after their own health and the health of those they are having sex with. But we heard in submissions that young women continue not to practise safe sex and the information they are receiving through schools is being censored. They are not receiving the information they need about sexually transmitted diseases and how they can protect themselves, but also about how to empower themselves to demand safe sex.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .