Every woman, gender-diverse person, and their families deserve a safe place to call home and the opportunity for an equal future in Australia.
Yet, the reality is starkly different. Women, gender-diverse people, and their families are bearing the brunt of Australia’s housing crisis, compounded by gender-based violence and systemic barriers to accessing safe, secure, and affordable housing.
At YWCA Australia, we have been supporting women for over 140 years. Each year, we provide nearly 6,000 people with more than 125,000 nights of stable and affordable accommodation.
As Australia’s leading national not-for-profit organisation dedicated to housing and support services for women, gender-diverse people, and their families, we see the flow-on effects of housing insecurity in our work every day. It is from this frontline perspective that we urge every political party to commit to solving these challenges by building safe homes and equal futures.
The challenge
Family and domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women in Australia. Economic inequalities—such as the gender pay gap, superannuation disparities, career interruptions, and unpaid care responsibilities—further exacerbate the challenge of accessing safe and affordable housing. Older and younger women face additional barriers, with younger women aged 25–34 forming the largest demographic accessing homelessness services.
For First Nations women, culturally and racially marginalised communities, LGBTIQA+SB individuals, and people living with disabilities, the barriers to housing security are even greater. Safe, secure, and affordable housing is a fundamental human right, yet for far too many, it remains out of reach.
This is not just an Australian issue. Globally, we’re seeing a disturbing erosion of women’s rights, from reproductive healthcare to economic independence. In this context, safe housing is not just a roof over one’s head—it’s a lifeline to safety, stability, and opportunity.
Our call to action
This is why YWCA Australia is launching our Safe Homes, Equal Futures campaign ahead of the 2025 Federal Election. We are calling on all political candidates to make gender-responsive housing a bipartisan priority.
The cost of inaction is too high. Without urgent intervention, women, gender-diverse people, and their families will continue to face the brunt of this crisis, often forced to choose between unsafe housing or homelessness.
The solutions are within reach. By investing in gender-responsive housing and homelessness solutions, policymakers can create long-term stability for women, gender-diverse people, and their families. This Federal Election is a critical opportunity to make this a reality.
Safe homes are the foundation of equal futures. With the right policies, we can deliver them. YWCA Australia urges all federal candidates to commit to the Safe Homes, Equal Futures campaign. Together, we can ensure that every woman and gender-diverse person in Australia has access to the safe, affordable, and secure housing they deserve.