About the NFAW

The National Foundation for Australian Women is dedicated to promoting and protecting the interests of Australian women and ensuring that the aims and ideals of the women’s movement and its collective wisdom are handed on to new generations of women.

NFAW is a feminist organisation, independent of party politics and working in partnership with other women’s organisations. It is not affiliated to any political party and is independent of government funding.

NFAW has tax-deductible status in its own right and it assists Australian women’s organisations through its preferred donor arrangements. NFAW funds come from grants, and donations made both by individuals and organisations. Volunteers who are committed to increasing support for women in Australia do most of NFAW’s research and public education.

Support for women's organisations

Currently, NFAW is assisting 19 women’s organisations through it preferred donor arrangements, including:

• Australian Reproductive Health Alliance
• Blackroots (Fund for Indigenous Women)
• Foundation for Australian Agricultural Women
• National Women’s Justice Coalition Fund
• Women’s Electoral Lobby (Australia) Fund
• Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

Special projects

NFAW’s work also covers three special projects.

• Women on Boards: helps experienced women gain directorships.
• Women’s History Month: celebrates the often forgotten roles and influences of women in history.
• The Australian Women’s Archives Project: recognizes the contributions women have made to Australian society by encouraging them to preserve their records and to make them more accessible.

Social policy

NFAW also contributes to Australian social policy, in a non- politically-partisan way, through the NFAW Social Policy Committee. This Committee participated in major issues, including:

• amendments to the Therapeutic Goods Administration Bill enabling TGA to determine whether RU486 should or should not be available
• the impact on women of the 2005 legislative changes in the industrial relations systems (WorkChoice) and social welfare (Welfare to Work).

History

“The Story So Far” by Julia Ryan provides a detailed history of the establishment of NFAW.