While many celebrated International Women’s Day on Sunday with the theme “Balancing the Scales”, we must remember and not ignore the fact that the scales are not only unbalanced for Aboriginal women, they are disproportionally tipping against us.

The ongoing impacts of colonisation and systemic racism continue to harm us – we see lives lost, children taken and families destroyed.

It is unacceptable that Aboriginal women nationally, are 69 times more likely to be hospitalised with a head injury due to violent assault, and 11 times more likely to die from violent assault, than other women.

Right here in our state - Victoria, our women are:

• 45 times more likely to experience family violence
• 21 times more likely to be imprisoned
• 11 times more likely to have police use force against them
• 23 times more likely to have their children removed – almost double the national average.

These are not just statistics - behind these number are women - our mothers, nurtures, leaders and keepers of life.

This shows us how far we still have to come to change the narrative for Aboriginal women in our country. When Aboriginal women are safe, children and families are safer. It’s time for governments to invest in Aboriginal women’s self-determined solutions.

Djirra CEO @Antoinette_Braybrook AM has said, the metaphor of balancing the scales does not capture the reality for Aboriginal women:

“We cannot balance scales that are built on broken foundations. Justice requires structural reform, self-determination, and systems redesigned with Aboriginal women at the centre.”

Walk alongside Djirra. Share our calls for change. Donate to our life-saving work via link in bio.

#InternationalWomensDay #IWD2026 #BalanceTheScales #AboriginalWomensLivesMatter #WeHaveTheSolutions

As part of International Women’s Day celebrations, Djirra’s leaders brought the voices, strength and leadership of Aboriginal women to three powerful forums across Victoria – calling for truth, justice and structural change.

At the @cityofyarra International Women’s Day event, our CEO, @Antoinette_Braybrook AM delivered a keynote address and joined Sue Wilkinson, CEO of Yarra City Council, for an in-conversation on the realities Aboriginal women face within legal and justice systems. Together, they named the ongoing misidentification and criminalisation of Aboriginal women, reflected on local government’s role in supporting self-determination and the importance of allyship grounded in accountability – not intention alone, but action.

On the same day, Antoinette spoke at the @ipaa.victoria International Women’s Day Gala alongside Tania Farha (CEO, @intouchmcafv) and Karen Fletcher (Executive Officer, @flatout.inc), contributing to a panel reflecting on this year’s UN Women theme: Balancing the Scales.

Antoinette made clear that for Aboriginal women, the scales can never be balanced without addressing the racism systems, which are the foundations upon which the scales are built.

To close the week, Djirra’s Community Engagement & Cultural Lead, Kelly Faldon was part of the panel at Moonee Valley City Council’s International Women’s Day breakfast where she spoke about the work Djirra does to support Aboriginal women and children.

Kelly also spoke about Djirra’s commitment to advocating for solutions grounded in culture, community and lived experience — driving the structural change needed to rebalance power and secure justice for Aboriginal women.

You can be part of redesigning systems and rebalancing the scales for Aboriginal women. Your support helps Djirra deliver lifesaving legal and non-legal holistic support, so Aboriginal women and their children can be safe and thrive.

Walk with us. Talk about us. Share to amplify our voices. Donate today if you can: https://support.djirra.org.au/2026IWD

#IWD2026 #InternationalWomensDay #BalancingTheScales #AboriginalWomen #Djirra #SelfDetermination #Justice #GenderEquality

Hey sisters, our March KWP workshop calendar is ready!

We have some exciting new workshops including:

✨ Main Character Energy with Bianca Hunt (Online)
✨ A 3 week series Staying Strong & Healthy Community with Dianne from Lovett & Co (Abbotsford)
✨ Cleansing Sticks with Elisha Mangal (Mildura)
✨ Feather Flowers with Aunty Kathy Nicholls (Melton)
✨ Blak Theatre Workshop with Laila Thaker (Melton)
✨ Weaving Workshop with Aunty Patsy (Mildura)
✨ Hair Braiding with Hope from Heavenly Hands (Melton)
✨ Healing Mats with Narnz (Online)
✨ KWP Art Circle Bracelet Making (Online)
✨ Our monthly Virtual Sista Yarns on 24th (Online)
✨ We also have a Sisters Day Out in Swan Hill on the 17th and Wodonga on the 24th

Swipe for more details >>>

To register please contact KWP on 1800 105 303 (and press 3) or email kwp@djirra.org.au

Stay deadly you mob!

Today, Djirra celebrates two important milestones.

Exactly eight years ago, we became Djirra.

Yesterday, the Children, Youth & Families Amendment (Stability) Bill 2025 passed through parliament, a significant victory for Aboriginal women and children in Victoria.

This reform has only been possible, because Aboriginal women courageously shared their stories of pain and injustice, stories of their children being taken.

Djirra, and others, shared Aboriginal women’s truths with the Yoorrook Justice Commission, which recommended removing rigid timeframes and restoring discretion to the Children’s Court to extend Family Reunification Orders. This reform will allow all mothers more time to escape violence, heal and achieve reunification with their children.

Our CEO @Antoinette_Braybrook AM said, “The passing of this Bill is a critical first step toward addressing the shameful over-representation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care. This reform will be a game changer and will mean Aboriginal women can grow their children safe and together, thriving in culture and identity.”

While this reform is a step forward, Djirra continues to call on the Victorian government to invest in our Child Protection Notification Referral System which would see Aboriginal women referred immediately to Djirra for specialist, wraparound support as soon as child protection become involved.

Aboriginal women must have an advocate to navigate this racist and punitive system.

We ask that you keep this momentum going and back us in on our continued advocacy.

📢 Amplify our voice
📣 Follow our advocacy calls
🔁 Share our messages

Next Tuesday, the Children, Youth & Families (Stability) Bill 2025 (Vic) will again be debated in parliament.

We call on the government to act urgently and pass this Bill.

Aboriginal women and children deserve to be safe and together.

Our CEO @Antoinette_Braybrook AM says,

“The over-representation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care is not a failure of the system.

It is the system operating exactly as it was designed to operate.

The child protection system continues to expand while Aboriginal women are left grieving the permanent loss of their children, a separation driven by government and backed by legislation.”

Read our full statement on the Djirra website at djirra.org.au