WA is Stronger Together on International Women's Day

• Cook Government recognises International Women's Day with $646,000 in grants to 24 community organisations to empower and support WA women and girls
• Stronger Together: WA's Plan for Gender Equality third action plan launched to continue driving meaningful, systemic change to achieve gender equality
• International Women's Day 2026 theme is Balance the Scales, highlighting the urgent need for a fairer, more inclusive, and accessible justice system for women and girls
• Cook Government building safe and inclusive communities

The Cook Government is recognising International Women's Day (IWD) 2026 with funding for a wide range of initiatives that support and empower Western Australian women and girls.

The IWD 2026 theme is Balance the Scales, highlighting the urgent need for a fairer, more inclusive, and accessible justice system for women and girls.

A total of 24 organisations will receive a share of almost $646,000 for a range of projects under two Women's Grants for a Stronger Future programs to build a better, fairer, more equitable Western Australia.

The grants, administered by the Department of Communities, include an annual program of grants up to $10,000 for community projects that support the priority areas of women's health and wellbeing, safety and justice, leadership, and economic independence.

The second program, the Safety and Justice grants program, is providing up to $150,000 for projects delivered over a period up to two years that contribute to the primary prevention of violence against women, with a focus on sexual violence.

Grant recipients include:

• Women's Legal Service's Technology-Facilitated Abuse: Education & Prevention Pilot program, which received $10,000 to develop resources and deliver education workshops to prevent and respond to technology-facilitated abuse affecting WA women;
• Housing Industry Association's She Builds the Future program, which received $5,191 to promote education and books in all WA primary schools that encourage young women in the residential building industry;
• GKB Impact Pty Ltd, which received $10,000, to deliver 'Reviving Noongar Voices' - a community-led initiative to revitalise the Noongar language through a series of interactive workshops and cultural storytelling events and involving female Elders, young people, and educators; and
• Goldfields Women's Health Care Association, which received $95,500 to deliver youth-led and culturally safe campaigns to challenge myths about sexual violence and increasing understanding of consent and respectful relationships in the Kalgoorlie area.

The Women's Grants 2025-26 program also includes a $150,000 grant to the Burnet Institute for The Gist program, an education program which aims to give young people in WA the skills to recognise and critically challenge harmful online content.

The Women's Grants for a Stronger Future Program aligns with the priority areas of the State Government's Stronger Together: WA's Plan for Gender Equality, a 10-year whole-of-government roadmap launched in March 2020 to drive meaningful, systemic change to achieve gender equality.

The Cook Government's Stronger Together's third action plan (2026-2029), released today will build on the momentum of the first and second action plans which contained a total of 148 actions to improve outcomes for women and girls.

This third action plan demonstrates Stronger Together's responsiveness to contemporary issues in the priority areas of health and wellbeing, safety and justice, economic independence, and leadership.

International Women's Day is held annually on 8 March, to acknowledge the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and focus on breaking down barriers to achieving gender equality.

For more information on the Women's Grants for a Stronger Future 2025-2026 Program, visit: https://www.communities.wa.gov.au/womensgrants. To read the Stronger Together third action plan, visit https://www.wa.gov.au/government/publications/stronger-together-was-plan-gender-equality

Comments attributed to Women Minister Simone McGurk:

"Progressing gender equality requires a whole-of-community effort, and I am pleased to be able to support a range of innovative projects across WA.

"The Women's Grants for a Stronger Future Program supports tangible and practical efforts within Western Australia to bring about generational change and create a better, fairer, and more equitable community.

"Our significant investment for the program this year demonstrates the Cook Government's commitment to supporting more initiatives and increasing resourcing to deliver better outcomes for WA women and girls.

"Similarly, the launch of the third action plan for Stronger Together: WA's Plan for Gender Equality confirms our commitment to building a safer, fairer, and more equitable Western Australia - one where every woman and girl can thrive.

"As Minister for Women, I would like to acknowledge and thank all government, industry, and sector partners who are demonstrating leadership through transparency, accountability and meaningful action."