A UNITED Nations campaign has reached the Wimmera.
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In an effort to eliminate gender-based violence, Women’s Health Grampians and Wimmera Health Care Group are among the organisations to join the campaign.
16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is a global movement that starts on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, concluding with Human Rights Day on December 10.
On average, one woman a week is murdered by her current or former partner in Australia.
One in three women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15 and Australian women are nearly three times more likely than men to experience violence from an intimate partner.
The United Nations’ campaign promotes action to end violence against women and girls. The colour orange is a key theme to unifying all activities and bringing attention to the initiative.
Wimmera Health Care Group people and culture director Sue Powell said the health service partnered with other services and councils to spread awareness and educate people about family violence.
She said team members would participate in educational sessions about family violence across the 16-day campaign.
Ms Powell said a large painted orange tree was displayed in the main reception area at both the Dimboola and Horsham campuses, with stickers for people to write their name and then place them as leaves on the tree.
The stickers contain the words, “say no”.
“They represent us building a community of people who will not tolerate family violence,” she said.
Ms Powell said team members would join the White Ribbon Day march in Horsham on Friday.
White ribbons would also adorn the main building’s entrances.
Women’s Health Grampians project support Ange van den Berg said reusable shopping bags, displaying a slogan to end gender inequality, would be distributed across the Communities of Respect and Equality (CoRE) network.
CoRE is a regional strategy to address violence against women and children in the Grampians region.
“We want awareness, but we also want quality actions taken over those days,” she said.
Horsham Rural City Council and Yarriambiack and West Wimmera shires have also placed signs at the entries of selected towns.
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