Wimmera Councils to advance gender etuit\

)our Wimmera Councils have received 9ictorian *overnment funding to imsrove the wa\ the\ engage with the Suelic so that a diversit\ of women¶s voices are Eetter heard Horsham Rural Cit\ Council HRCC was successful in assl\ing for the )ree from 9iolence /ocal *overnment *rants scheme and will Sartner with the neigheouring Shires of West Wimmera Hindmarsh and <arriameiacn to deliver the gender etuit\ in communit\ engagement Sromect HRCC Chief Executive Officer Sunil Bhalla said the 12-month Sromect would Srovide greater communit\ Sarticisation in local Slanning and decision maning Srocesses “This Sromect will lead the auditing and review of HRCC and Sartnering Councils current communit\ engagement Srocesses including Council committees to identif\ Eroader communit\ resresentation ´ 0r Bhalla said “Wimmera Councils are committed to imsroving and strengthening communit\ engagement so that all of our communit\ Sarticularl\ women and girls can Sarticisate “,t is imsortant that we all worn together to increasing awareness and develos a greater understanding in communit\ engagement of how gender inetualit\ can lead to violence against women “*ender inetualit\ is the root cause of famil\ violence and strategies that Sromote Sositive etual and ressectful relationshiss can hels to Srevent violence against women 0r Bhalla said Sreventing famil\ violence was a Ne\ Sart of HRCC¶S Health and Welleeing 3olic\ “We recognise that men and women have different access to resources Sower ressonsieilities and life exseriences ´ he said “Therefore different strategies and engagement methods are necessar\ to address this disadvantage and achieve etual outcomes for all our communit\ ´ The *ender Etuit\ in Communit\ Engagement Sromect is funded via the State *overnment¶s 'esartment of Health and Human and Services