Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West (WHWBSW) is a not-for-profit organisation and registered charity committed to progressing gender equality and preventing women’s health issues before they begin.

As a small organisation with an ambitious vision for change, WHWBSW supports local partners and communities in addressing the things that shape women’s health. WHWBSW often works with local government, health providers, and service organisations to progress women’s health. WHWBSW engages women from across the region to understand their experiences and elevate their voices, which informs and guides advocacy.

Respect 2040 is a partnership initiative and regional strategy developed and driven by Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West (WHWBSW). The Respect2040 partnership is a strategic, evidence-based approach to coordinating long-term primary prevention action to disrupt the drivers of gendered violence. It actively builds the knowledge, confidence, and capacity of partners and allies to embed meaningful, sustained action into business as usual and, in the long term, grow capacity across the region. Respect 2040 is a strong and influential alliance of organisations across the region who are 100% committed to the prevention of gendered violence.

WHWBSW has played a pivotal role in the creation of the Respect 2040 partnership, taking the lead in forming and coordinating the partnership structure. The organisation has actively empowered partners to embrace the initiative by developing resources and delivering capacity-building programs, including a regional Intersectional Practice Forum. WHWBSW’s leadership and coordination in terms of advocacy, activism, and promotion have been instrumental in delivering impact across the Barwon South West.

Respect 2040 builds on 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.

Respect 2040 in its currentall of region presentation followson from the work undertaken over years in the Great SouthCoast and the Barwon regions.Over the course of 2023, as proposed by WHWBSW, the decision was made to merge these two sub-regions with endorsement from the Respect2040 G21 Partnership Advisory Group and supported by Great Sout Coast partners and allies. As the lead agency for Respect 2040, WHWBSW implemented the merger partnership restructure to enable the sustainability, growth and impact of this work through a regionwide strategic partnership to end violence against women.

WHWBSW, through Respect2040, equips partners and the community to work collaboratively to change the underlying social and gendered drivers of violence against women. By addressing the attitudes and systems that drive this violence, there is a genuine ability to drive change and strive for gender equality across the Barwon South West region.

To find out more about Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West, visit womenshealthbsw.org.au