YWCA Australia has today launched its Safe Homes, Equal Futures campaign, calling for urgent, gender-responsive solutions to Australia’s housing crisis. The campaign outlines a five-point plan to ensure the next federal government prioritises the unique needs of women and gender-diverse people, delivering long-term housing stability and equity.
“The housing crisis isn’t just about a shortage of homes—it’s about ensuring everyone has access to safe, secure, and affordable housing,” said YWCA Australia CEO Michelle Phillips. “Women and gender-diverse people face distinct barriers and need targeted solutions. This campaign provides a clear roadmap for decision-makers to create gender-responsive housing policies that work for women, gender-diverse people, and their families.”
The campaign is informed by We’ve Been Robbed: Young Women and Gender-Diverse People’s Housing Experiences and Solutions, a research report developed in partnership with Swinburne University of Technology and launched alongside Parliamentary Friends of Housing in Canberra last year. The report highlights the housing challenges experienced by young women and gender-diverse people, from unaffordable rents to the impacts of domestic and family violence. As the report found, “Access to secure housing is increasingly uneven in ways that are generational, gendered, and intersectional.”
“Too many young women and gender-diverse people are being locked out of safe housing,” Phillips said. “Our five-point plan shows how tailored policy initiatives backed by targeted investments by can break the cycle of housing insecurity for women and gender-diverse people.”
The Five-Point Plan
Solutions in Action
YWCA is already delivering gender-responsive housing models in Queensland, South Australia, and Regional Victoria, providing long-term affordable housing tailored to the needs of women and gender-diverse people. These models are scalable with federal support.
“This is a moment to act,” Phillips said. “We’re calling on all federal candidates to commit to these solutions and embed gender-responsive policies into housing programs. By making housing a bipartisan priority, we can deliver safe homes and equal futures for all Australians.”
YWCA has engaged parliamentarians across government, opposition, and the crossbench on the campaign, advocating for the adoption of its Women’s Housing Framework as the national standard for gender-responsive housing. For more information on the Safe Homes, Equal Futures campaign, visit ywca-safehomes-equalfutures.org.au.
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