In the lead up to the federal election, the Kimberley Aboriginal Women's Council (KAWC) launched its new strategic plan in Canberra last week.
The organisation, a collective of women who have gathered since 2017, met with government and opposition ministers and MPs to ensure Aboriginal women's leadership, rights, and self-determination are firmly on the agenda for the upcoming election.
Jodie Bell from KAWC told National Indigenous Times the organisation wanted to "empower Aboriginal women in the Kimberley".
Furthermore, KAWC wants to "empower our young women, as we see the need to make change in our community," Ms Bell said.
"And that's what our organisation is all about is how we can make change for women and children in our region."
The new 2025-2027 Strategic Plan highlights KAWC's commitment to grassroots women's leaders and empowerment as well as cultural security and systems reform, with a significant focus on strengthening the Aboriginal community-controlled sector, pushing Closing the Gap priorities, and continuing to foster the importance of self-determination.
"Launching our strategic plan at the Federal Parliament House before the elections ensures that our vision for Aboriginal women's leadership, rights, and self-determination is heard at the highest level," KAWC chairperson Selena O'Meara said.
"This is a pivotal moment to engage decision-makers, influence policy, and secure commitments that will drive lasting change for our communities."
@natindigtimes Kimberley Aboriginal Womens Council head to Canberra with South West Aboriginal Womens Collective to support their outreach programs. #fyp #aboriginal #firstnations #indigenous #aboriginaltiktok #indigenoustiktok ♬ original sound - National Indigenous Times
The plan's vision notes a Kimberley where Indigenous women are "empowered and resilient," and where the KAWC can take action for a "just an equal future".
The plan says all KAWC's work is approached with a "decolonising lens," with the goal of working to "tell our truth and nurture reconciliation," as well as listening and healing.
Ms Bell said one of the reasons they were in Canberra was to help "fund the impacts that we are wanting to make in our community".
Noting the Closing the Gap announcement in parliament a day before, she said: "A number of those targets, as we all know, are still not being met, and there's no sight of it being met in the future."
"But a lot of the work that we are planning to do in our communities actually will help close those gaps," she said.
"We're really seeking support from the government to look at different ways to tackle some of those closing the gap target, and support on the ground community organisations that are creating community solutions and leading them in the community, rather than the sort of traditional ways that's been happening for the last 17 years."
KAWC said they were supporting women and girls' leadership by offering two-way governance, collaborative change, and data sovereignty skills to allow Kimberley women to be influential leaders and drive change in the community.
Chief executive Janine Dureau said an investment in Aboriginal women's leadership was an investment in better and stronger communities, policies, and lasting change.
"When Aboriginal women are empowered to lead, they drive solutions that create social, cultural, and economic benefits for all Australians," Ms Dureau said.
"It's time for the Federal Government to back our leadership and amplify our impact."
The strategic plan also highlighted a number of initiatives from the KAWC.
These included the Women's Leadership Program, Rise & Shine Mentoring Program for Kimberley Aboriginal girls, and the Organisational Strategic Development Program.
All of these were designed to create long-term benefits - culturally, economically, and socially - for First Nations women in their communities.
Ms Bell was clear on what needed to be done.
"Let's create partnerships with community organisations [with] local solutions and see how we can maybe get those gaps closed quicker and faster," she said.
