AUSTRALIA’S Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek delivered the opening keynote at the 5th World Conference of Women’s Shelters (5WCWS) at ICC Sydney this week.
The four-day conference welcome more than 1,200 delegates from over 60 countries. The event, which got underway Monday, is described as the world’s largest conference by and for those working at the grassroots to end gender-based violence.
5WCWS was hosted on behalf of the Global Network of Women’s Shelters (GNWS) by Australia’s peak body for specialist women’s domestic and family violence services, The Women’s Services Network. PCO services were provided by ICMS Australasia.
WESNET Board Member and GNWS founding member, Julie Oberin, said was honoured to be 5WCWS Chair for the first World Conference of Women’s Shelters held in the Southern Hemisphere.
“The conference is a unique international forum designed to advance the services for women’s shelters and end gender-based violence,” Oberin said.
“5WCWS will provide a platform for networking, knowledge transfer, collaboration, and exploration on topical issues, resulting in groundbreaking best practices, new knowledge and innovation, and practical solutions.”
ICMSA CEO Emma Bowyer said it was a privilege to be providing event assistance for such a worthy organisation and having a Federal Minister opening the conference showed the event’s high level of importance.
“We also had some very high-profile international speakers and know that the robust program will ensure lively and extremely frank discussion around solutions for gender-based violence,” Bowyer said.
5WCWS was secured for Australia by BESydney.
