AFMW started the year with a fruitful Council meeting on February 7th, 2023. In Australia, it is also the time when children return to school, so I posted this article on adolescents and mental health based on an earlier presentation of mine https://afmw.org.au/kids-health-information-mental-health-adolescents/
This was followed by the National Parliamentary Roundtable discussion in Canberra on the Menopause, which I participated in on March 7th. This was followed by meetings with the Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing, Ged Kearney.
International Women’s Day (IWD) activities took place around the states. At the ACT Medical Women’s Society, a fundraiser was hosted and fun was had, as can be seen below. ACT and Region MWS President, Jane Twin outlined plans for 2023.
Dr Madhura Naidu President VMWS and A/Prof Magdalena Simonis were featured in the special AMA Vic IWD edition https://afmw.org.au/ama-victoria-interviews-iwd/ and Dr Kate Duncan AM wrote a feature article https://afmw.org.au/enquiry-by-women-vicdoc-autumn-2023/
In Victoria, VMWS is planning a full program:
- CV writing workshop – exclusively for members of VMWS and AFMW,
- Family planning in medicine: from financial planning, to striking a work/life balance, to “breaking the new” to your employer
- Queer Networking Event: collaboration with Australian Lesbian Medical Association
- Managing Micro-aggressions in the Workplace: providing tools to navigate difficult conversations and microaggressions in the workplace
- Ongoing informal get-togethers for medical women to relax and have fun!
An ongoing advocacy theme for AFMW is the gendered impacts of climate change. In this video, women leaders and climate champions were invited to speak about what they want to see. AFMW President Magdalena Simonis is in the group.
On March 15th AFMW hosted the annual United Nations Commission on the Status of Women 67th parallel session, which was a terrific success again. The theme for our session was “Leading through the digital revolution to empower women and girls no matter how far the distance.”
Special thanks to my yAFMW co-host and co-Chair of yAFMW Dr Helena Franco.https://afmw.org.au/afmw-csw67-leading-through-the-digital-revolution-to-empower-women-and-girls-no-matter-how-far-the-distance-recap/
On the 21st April, I am pleased to have been invited to speak at the Southern European MWIA session on Policy Change Recommendations, taken from findings of the MWIA survey of COVID-19 experiences of women doctors as healthcare providers.
Our Circle of Kindness monthly sessions are open to all members and non-members of AFMW. Our next session will be hosted by Dr Elysia Robb of VMWS on April 28th 8:30-9:30 AEST. We invite all MWIA members to log in for an informal catch up (Register in advance https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMlcOqvpzouGt0KiK4pgvIKhMDUP6bYkFD9 )
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Articles and publications
https://afmw.org.au/cancer-survivorship-and-aspirin-use-is-there-a-link-racgp/
Magdalena Simonis
AFMW President