About Us
The Australian Government Office for Women (OfW) is part of the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
The work of OfW is founded on the goal of mainstreaming women’s issues. This means working to ensure that a focus on women’s experiences, issues and perspectives becomes everyone’s business.
OfW is working to towards ensuring that government policies, services and initiatives are evaluated for the benefits they will provide to women, their impact on women and their accessibility by women.
The role of the OfW is to:
influence policy, Cabinet and Budget decision-making to ensure women's interests are considered
- provide high level (policy and other) advice to the Minister for the Status of Women
- administer programs, including most significantly programs to combat domestic violence and sexual assault.
- advise on legislative issues relating to women
- provide the principal focus on consultation between the women’s sector and Government and
- represent Government at national and international forums on women’s issues, such as the United Nations.
OfW and the Minister for the Status of Women consult with women from a wide range of non-Government organisations to fulfill its role.