Voices of Women Incorporated (VoW) is a not-for-profit organisation based in the Yarra Valley that is committed to its support for the rights of women.

VoW was formed by a dedicated team of women whose core belief is that a society should be one where women are safe, respected, valued, informed, empowered and free to make genuine choices in their lives.

With that philosophy in mind, VoW recognises and seeks to advocate and lobby for the specific and urgent needs of women; and aims to promote greater community awareness by:

• Ensuring women’s voices are heard by lobbying government and harnessing and amplifying the work of its member organisations
• Focusing on new and innovative solutions to issues faced by women
• Acting as a voice of communication between existing resources
• Using development and educational strategies to build and promote alliances and collaborative relationships with other key stakeholders

Our vision is for women of the Yarra Valley to:

• Live lives that are empowered in a community where their voices are heard
• Be represented in any decisions that affect them
• Be enabled to achieve their visions at a personal, family and community level

‘VOW was established as a charity whose purpose is to promote gender equality in the Yarra Ranges and surrounding regions by:

• Promoting women’s leadership capacity and education through targeted programs
• Advocating for policies and practices that promote gender equity in local government, business and community sectors
• Promoting a human rights and gender equity approach amongst community stakeholders for the prevention and reduction of domestic violence in our community’.