Designing the Wiyi Yani U Thangani Framework and Institute

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice

The Australian Human Rights Commission invited submissions to inform the development of the Wiyi Yani U Thangani Change Agenda (formerly Framework for Action for First Nations Gender Justice and Equality) and the First Nations Gender Justice Institute.

The Institute and Change Agenda are independent of government, designed by and for First Nations women, girls and gender-diverse mob, to translate the significant evidence of the Wiyi Yani U Thangani project into action to achieve First Nations gender justice and equality.

They are about creating space for First Nations women, girls and gender-diverse mob to come together, share stories and translate lived experience into evidence, informing policy and decision-making and shifting systems; and will set out the actions for nationwide structural reform to achieve First Nations gender justice and equality, building on and responding to the themes and priorities set out in the Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices): Securing our Rights, Securing our Future Report (2020) and Implementation Framework (2021).

This submission process gathered information to ensure data, measurement and evaluation approaches used in and alongside the Agenda and Institute reflect the values, needs and priorities of First Nations women, girls and gender-diverser mob. It is important that these approaches, including indicators to measure change, reflect a First Nations conception of gender justice and equality. The Australian Human Rights Commission recognises the need to find and develop alternative tools and practices to decolonise data and measurement approaches, ensuring that First Nations women’s knowledges and practices are centred, and to strengthen Indigenous data sovereignty and governance.

To take the next steps of translating evidence into lasting and meaningful change, this submissions process asked for insights, experiences and ideas across the following themes: