Accelerating action this International Women's Day
Message from our CEO
As we celebrate International Women's Day this week, I am inspired by this year's theme, "March Forward: For ALL Women and Girls," which calls for accelerating progress toward gender equality. Unfortunately, no country has ever achieved gender equality.
- The gender pay gap is at 20% worldwide (ILO, 2022) and in Australia, women earn 13.8% less than men on average.
- One in three women globally suffer physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both (WHO, 2021).
- Every 11 minutes, a woman or girl is killed by a member of her own family globally.
We are living in difficult times, with many trends posing significant challenges. The rise in rental/mortgage stress and ongoing utility-related pressures demonstrates the importance of monitoring and adapting to emerging client needs. In the past year, we provided essential services, community education, and advocacy to 16,608 individuals—a remarkable 57% increase from the previous year.
Our South West Sydney (SWS) and Sydney (SYD) Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (WDVCAS) teams have received and contacted over 16,000 referrals and engaged 10,396 women and children as clients, providing them with critical advocacy during their time of need.
The areas where JSC works in Fairfield, Canterbury Bankstown and Liverpool are ranked 1st, 3rd and 4th in Metropolitan NSW as having the greatest need for legal assistance. Although we cover a population of more than 1.2 million people, we only receive base funding for 6 permanent lawyers and managers.
We are asking you in the article below to join us and your local MPs in lobbying the Attorney General to regard SWS as a priority area, so that JSC is properly resourced to meet the unmet legal need.
As we celebrate International Women's Day, we should also note that despite making up nearly half of Australia’s workforce, women are glaringly underrepresented in leadership. Only 18.3% of CEOs, 32.5% of managers, and a mere 12.9% of ASX 200 chair roles are held by women. On this note, I am thrilled to share that we are an official partner of the Women In Leadership Summit for its 10th edition — a milestone event that continues to inspire and empower women to break barriers and lead boldly. As a valued stakeholder you are also entitled to a 50% discount should you attend the summit.
Our team and the women we support are resilient. As we celebrate International Women's Day, we remain committed to accelerating action and advancing women's equality, as you’ll read below in just some of the shared successful outcomes we have obtained for our clients.
Thank you for your continued support.
Melanie Noden, CEO of Justice Support Centre
Urgent call for increased community legal resources in South West Sydney (SWS)
Fairfield, Canterbury Bankstown and Liverpool ranked 1st, 3rd and 4th in Metropolitan NSW as having the greatest need for legal assistance (NLAS ranking by Law and Justice Foundation). In fact, Fairfield LGA ranks 1st across NSW in all areas of legal need. The need for legal assistance is high because SWS ranks high on every measure of socio-economic disadvantage and with a large migrant population, many also have the additional barrier of language.
Despite the significant need for legal assistance, and that the areas where we work in SWS is rapidly growing with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is predicted to experience significant population growth, Justice Support Centre (JSC) as the primary community legal centre operating in SWS currently only has funding for six permanent lawyers plus management. We are forced every day to prioritise the most urgent needs and turn away one in two people – and we know from our research that this is just the ‘tip of the iceberg’.
We have lobbied our local State MPs, David Saliba, Jihad Dib, and Charishma Kaliyanda, to make them aware of the significant unmet legal need in SWS. We know they are all lobbying the Attorney General, Hon. Michael Daley, to focus more resources in SWS as a high priority.
Despite all the lobbying we were told recently by the Attorney General that the only additional funding over the next five years is $3 -3.5million across all of NSW. If shared equally amongst LGA’s, this would not even fund an additional lawyer for JSC.
The Attorney General has indicated that he will consider directing more of the new funding to ‘high priority areas’. On his current plan it is unlikely, despite all the evidence, that SWS, will be seen as high priority.
We need people to write to the Attorney General, Michael Daley at electorateoffice.fairfield@parliament.nsw.gov.au and advocate for the more community legal resources in their electorate. Also, if you are able, we invite you to donate to the vital work of JSCLC.
Sources:
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
- SEIFA Index of Disadvantage (SEIFA)
- Need for Legal Assistance (NLAS) rankings
- Health Stats NSW
DFV Casework team
prioritises support
The DFV team are proud of their commitment to community engagement, growth in partnerships and advocacy, which fosters a supportive environment and raises awareness of DFV.
JSC’s new disability and First Nations-focused casework positions are now fully operational and accepting referrals. These programs are specifically designed to provide casework support to clients with disabilities or those who identify as First Nations, residing within the Sydney Local Government Area (LGA). The services aim to assist women and children who have experienced Domestic and Family Violence, offering tailored support to meet the unique needs of these communities.
Referrals can be made by contacting the Disability Caseworker at 0466 483 858 or via email at mailto:dfvdisability@jsc.org.au, or by reaching out to the First Nations workers at 0476 192 572 or mailto:dfvfirstnations@jsc.org.au.
The Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) Casework team is committed strengthening partnerships and referral pathways, particularly exploring options for male partnerships and identifying suitable client support groups. We aim to enhance collaboration by leveraging team members’ strengths, fostering knowledge-sharing, and up skilling in key areas like technology-facilitated abuse.
We are ramping up our efforts to find a suitable outreach space that works for our Canterbury/Burwood area. If you know of any space suitable for a casework service that is available, please contact us on mailto:shlv@jsc.org.au
A success story
After years of living with a traumatic brain injury, anxiety, and PTSD, our client faced another challenge—ongoing alcohol-fuelled violence from her ex-partner. The abuse took a toll on her mental and physical health, leaving her in a vulnerable state. When a court subpoena added further stress and anxiety, our DFV Caseworker stepped in, providing support and advocacy to help her navigate this daunting process.
Read on to discover how our advocacy and guidance made all the difference in our client's journey to safety...
SYDWDVCAS provides client-centred support and advocacy
At Sydney Women's Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (SYDWDVCAS), our team is deeply committed to supporting women facing domestic and family violence, and the heartfelt feedback we receive from clients reinforces the impact of our work.
One of our greatest strengths is our ability to provide strong, client-centred advocacy. One example is our First Nations focus worker, who consistently goes above and beyond to secure life-changing outcomes. The case study below highlights how our advocacy and collaboration with partner services helped a client facing eviction and financial hardship find safety, stability, and a path forward...
A client was faced with eviction from her community housing property. She had a large amount of rental arrears, however, had no other issues with her tenancy. Some unexpected medical expenses and severe financial control/abuse led her to this situation.
Our SYDWDVCAS worker applied for victim’s services support and reached out to some other services which helped cover her rental arrears. We provided food vouchers which also helped and then advocated for her to be relocated to a safe area away from her ex-partner, and an ADVO also provides her with legal protection.
She was then linked with a legal service who are assisting her with some social support in her community.
SWSWDVCAS enhances collaboration
The South West Sydney Women's Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (SWSWDVCAS) and our legal team strengthened collaboration to help clients navigate recent changes in Victim Service (VS) applications through face-to-face clinics where clients received the support of their Caseworker and a member of the Legal Team to complete the application.
In addition to our ongoing court support and police advocacy, the SWSWDVCAS team has provided essential brokerage support, including food and clothing vouchers, dignity bags, buddy bags, safe phones, and security cameras for safety, as well as advocated for housing needs with Homes NSW and community providers while referring our clients to legal services for family law and immigration matters.
We are proud to support and advocate for our clients so that they receive the support they need.
By the halfway mark at Xmas, SWSWDVCAS had already provided services to 3,901 clients, with one such story highlighted below...
Our client, along with her three children, was living in temporary accommodation (TA) for over five months at the time of her referral to case management services. Comprehensive housing advocacy was undertaken, resulting in the client’s approval for the Start Safely program. However, she faced multiple rejections on rental applications, leading to significant stress and emotional overwhelm...
Expanding access to justice through pro-bono legal partnership
In 2024 the JSC legal team launched a new pro bono partnership with HWL Ebsworth Lawyers providing a fortnightly telephone advice service to female DV survivors on Victims Compensation. Since the clinic started in August, our legal team has already assisted 20 women DV survivors with their VS applications and extended this phone advice clinic to SYDWDVCAS as well as South West Sydney clients.
In 2025 we are set to expand this partnership with HWL Ebsworth Lawyers who kindly offered to provide graduate lawyers on secondment to JSC at regular intervals throughout the year. We had our first ever secondee join us in February for a three-week block to provide research and assistance with the development of
our legal service delivery plan as well as shadowing JSC lawyers in Court and client appointments.
We look forward to this ongoing partnership.
Exciting growth period for our legal team
Our legal team is preparing for an exciting period of growth with major projects set to enhance how we serve our clients and communities in an impactful and meaningful way.
Here’s what’s in store:
Legal Needs: we are currently carrying out a legal needs analysis of South Western Sydney to identify key strategic gaps in legal service delivery across South West Sydney. We will be mapping out available services and consulting with key stakeholders.
Legal service delivery plan: we are embarking on an ambitious project to develop a strategic Legal Service Delivery Plan by the end of 2025 that will inform our approach to casework, CLE, outreach and other legal projects going forward. The plan will take into account any strategic gaps in legal service delivery in SWS and the level of funding we get from the State and Commonwealth Governments in the next round of five-year funding.
Introducing Actionstep: we will be joining a number of other CLCs and implementing a new client management system, Actionstep, that will vastly improve how we handle cases, increasing our efficiency and effectiveness.
These projects and successes translate to real benefits for our clients. Whether it’s faster service delivery, access to additional legal expertise, or more tailored and impactful support, our focus remains on ensuring clients receive the best outcomes.
An inspiring success story for a First Nations client
The work we do is about achieving meaningful change, and one recent story stands out. A Senior Lawyer in our team helped a First Nations woman, a domestic violence survivor, who had been misidentified by NSW Victim Services as not being a victim. Collaborating with our Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) team, our lawyer gathered the necessary support and lodged an internal review. Their efforts resulted in the original decision being overturned, awarding our client a recognition payment. This outcome demonstrates our ongoing commitment to justice and the power of team support in achieving life-changing results.
Don't miss out on an exclusive
50% discount:
Women In Leadership Summit
With International Women’s Day coming up, it’s the perfect time to celebrate progress and keep the momentum going for women in leadership. That’s why we’re excited to partner with the Women in Leadership Summit 2025 — an event dedicated to giving women the tools, confidence, and connections to step up and lead.
Join us for a day of inspiration and practical learning, where you’ll hear from trailblazing women who have broken barriers, shaped industries, and paved the way for future leaders.
Empower | Connect | Lead | Be the Change | Inspire tomorrow |
What’s in Store:
- Inspiring keynotes from women who’ve led the way
- Engaging panel discussions on real-world challenges
- Practical workshops with actionable leadership strategies
- Networking opportunities with like-minded professionals
Exclusive Offer for our JSC Network: Use code JSC50 for 50% off tickets!
As a valued stakeholder you’re entitled to an exclusive 50% discount to the Women in Leadership Summit.
Dates:
- Women In Leadership Summit Melbourne 27-30 May 2025
- Women In Leadership Summit Sydney on 28-31 October 2025
How to book:
Simply fill in your details and register via the register link below and enter the promo code provided. The discount code for 50% off is: JSC50.
