The Alliance provides expert advice to policy makers and health services on the mental health of women and girls, and undertakes advocacy to ensure all women have access to evidence-based, gender-sensitive and trauma-informed mental health support. The Alliance works to ensure the voices of women with lived experience are centred in policy, advocacy and service delivery.
Read more about why we created the Women's Mental Health Alliance.
Gender is recognised as a social determinant of mental health. However, there is a lack of awareness about the prevalence, risk factors and experience of poor mental health among women and girls. There is also limited evidence about how best to prevent and respond to mental ill health among women and girls and how to promote their mental wellbeing.
Overall, women and girls in Australia have poorer mental health than men and boys, including:
Read our Snapshot of women's mental health.
The impact of gender on mental health manifests in many ways. These include experiences of gender inequality, discrimination, gender stereotyping, sexualisation, sexual harassment, family violence and sexual violence, women’s disproportionate responsibility for unpaid caring work, economic disadvantage and the marginalisation of women’s health needs within the mental health service system.
The Alliance comprises representatives from the following member organisations, as well as some individual members, who actively contribute to Alliance advocacy. Associate Members support the aims of the Alliance, but may not be in a position to actively endorse Alliance advocacy.
Members
Women’s Health Victoria (Secretariat)
Australian Services Union
Australian Muslim Women's Centre for Human Rights
Eating Disorders Victoria
Gender Equity Victoria
Gippsland Women’s Health
Good Shepherd Australia and New Zealand
Jean Hailes for Women's Health
Juno
Lisa Thurin Women’s Health Centre, Cabrini
McAuley Community Services for Women
Melbourne Alliance to End Violence against women and their children (MAEVE), University of Melbourne
Mental Health Complaints Commission
Mental Health Victoria
Mercy Mental Health
Mind Australia
Monash Alfred Psychiatry research centre
Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation
Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Multicultural Centre for Women's Health
No To Violence
Rainbow Health Victoria
Royal Women’s Hospital
Tandem
Turning Point
Safe + Equal
Sexual Assault Services Victoria
Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council
WIRE
Women with Disabilities Victoria
Women's Health East
Women's Health Goulburn North East
Women's Health in the North
Women's Health in the South East
Women's Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West
Women's Health West
Women's Mental Health Network Victoria
Youth Affairs Council of Victoria
Associate Members
Mental Health Complaints Commissioner
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (Vic Branch)
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
Victoria Legal Aid
Gender analysis of Royal Commission recommendations - June 2021
The Alliance has undertaken a gender analysis of key recommendations of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System to inform implementation.
Alliance policy submissions
The Women’s Mental Health Alliance makes policy submissions to inform Victorian and national mental health reforms.
Women's mental health webinars
The Women’s Mental Health Alliance and Women’s Health Victoria host webinars on topical issues in women’s mental health.
Additional evidence on gender and mental health for the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System - July 2020
The Alliance provided further evidence on gender and mental health to inform the Commissioners’ deliberations.
Policy Briefs on COVID-19 and women's mental health
Women are significantly more likely than men to have experienced negative mental health impacts due to COVID-19.
WHV Publications and Resources
A list of WHV’s recent mental health-related resources and publications.
Donate to create change for women
By donating to Women's Health Victoria, you can make a real difference to the health outcomes and fair treatment of women and gender diverse people.
With your help, we can drive social change, address women's health needs and promote fair and equitable healthcare for all.
No contribution is too small, and donations over $2 are tax deductible.
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WHV acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government.
Acknowledgement of Country
Women’s Health Victoria acknowledges and pays our respects to the Traditional Owners of the land that our offices are situated on, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. As a statewide organisation, we also acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters across Victoria. We pay our respects to them, their cultures and their Elders past and present.
Our Commitment to Gender Diversity & Inclusion
Women’s Health Victoria’s focus is women (cis and trans inclusive) and gender diverse people. We address feminist health issues and are committed to supporting all people impacted by gender inequity who can benefit from our work. As a proud intersectional feminist organisation, Women’s Health Victoria is working towards meaningful inclusivity, guided by and supporting people who identify as women, trans, intersex and gender diverse.
