Making Noise on Womens Health
We need to get women’s health in Australia back on track.
In the wake of disruptions from multiple natural disasters and lockdowns, the health service system is overburdened, basic health checks have lapsed, and mothers in particular are struggling to find the time and funds to manage their basic care.
The evidence is clear that significant disruptions to everyday life such as the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns and storm events have impinged disproportionately on women’s health. Whilst COVID lockdowns were hard for everyone, they placed a particularly heavy burden on working mothers who bore the brunt of home life as they juggled remote or risky jobs. Women were overwhelmingly burdened by increased childcare, schooling and household responsibilities, whilst also representing 80% of front-line healthcare workers managing the pandemic. The repercussions from the mental and physical load of the past three years continue to reverberate through our community of Mums in the Hills.
Right to left: Member for Monbulk Daniela de Martion MP, Belinda Young, Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas MP
In the Yarra Ranges, we faced the additional challenges from the June 9, 2021 (and subsequent) storm events, which left households and communities cut off from communications, basic services and support for days or weeks. Some households, particularly those headed by single mums, had to make agonising choices between paying for mobile data to continue running businesses and remote schooling or buying firewood and food as NBN services were disrupted for weeks (and even months in some areas). For families who lost their homes, the turmoil continues to this day.
Within our online community of 5,800+ mothers across the Yarra Ranges, we have seen a large increase in cries for help with burnout, mental and physical health challenges, domestic violence, financial crises, and family breakdowns since the start of 2020. The evidence is unequivocal that mums in the Hills are struggling and MotHs is looking for every possible means of easing these burdens.
Mums of the Hills is currently seeking funding to address these concerns. By raising awareness and providing information, Mums of the Hills aims to help women in the Yarra Ranges proactively approach their preventative health care. Through the support of Member for Monbulk Daniela de Martino, we have put this project forward to the Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas MP.
Stay tuned for updates!