Voices for Change

Program description  

The Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights (AMWCHR) was funded under the Victorian Government Family Violence Prevention program in 2021 to deliver its Voices for Change project. The community program was delivered to 461 members of Victorian Muslim communities between 2022 and 2024.

Voices for Change sought to raise awareness and build capacity among Muslim communities in Victoria to prevent family violence.  

The Voices for Change project had multiple components including:  

• community programs  
• community consultation
• research  
• launch of a framework.  

The initial stages of the project incorporated group-based primary prevention programs for Muslim women, young women, young men, girls and boys. These programs explored family violence, healthy relationships, parenting for equality, and the role of culture, religion and community on understandings of gender equality.  

Insights

AMWCHR saw shifts on the ground because of their community program, and participants reflected an increased understanding of the different forms of violence against women. Participants also reported increased confidence to promote gender equality. This was associated with increased knowledge about the importance of speaking against family violence and how their advocacy can support other women at risk.  

It was also widely recognised among participants that to achieve effective and sustained prevention of family violence, it is critical to engage men and boys – as parents, partners, community/religious leaders and individuals. Based on this community sentiment, AMWCHR undertook research to identify and outline the barriers inhibiting Muslim men’s engagement in family violence prevention and identify the ways these can be overcome.  

Findings from the research suggested there are structural, cultural and individual barriers that are preventing Muslim men and boys from engaging in formal and informal prevention initiatives to the degree that is required to achieve widespread change. Participants believed that men and boys should be provided with appropriate information, role models and social supports to grow their understanding of underlying drivers of family violence and become active allies and participants in promoting community values of equality, wellbeing and women’s rights. At the same time, parents must be engaged in programs to build capacity around gender-equal parenting and address biases that may perpetuate gendered roles that favour boys, to effect generational shifts.    

Based on findings from the research and community programs, AMWCHR launched the Framework for Engaging Muslim Men in the Prevention of Family Violence as the final stage of Voices for Change, for use by community workers and/or services considering engaging, or already engaging, Muslim men in family violence prevention work.