Resources for Collective Action, Activism and Advocacy
Collective action, activism and advocacy are powerful forces for change in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. These forces provide an opportunity to advocate for rights, challenge injustice and amplify community voices, creating lasting and positive impacts. This tool provides key resources and practical guidance to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s groups engaging in collective action and advocacy work. Whether starting a grassroots campaign, joining existing movements or establishing formal advocacy bodies, these resources aim to instigate meaningful change.
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) aims to maintain an impartial and independent electoral system for eligible voters in Australia.1
The Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department is focused on maintaining and improving Australia’s law and justice framework.2
The Australian Women’s Health Alliance is a national voice on women’s health, aiming to achieve gender equity in health for all women in Australia.3
Change the Record is a First Nations led coalition of legal, health and family violence prevention experts.4
The Commons Social Change Library offers an online library that is focussed on making social movements smarter and stronger.5
Community Change is an American organisation focused on building power in communities to enact change.6
GetUp! is an independent movement that works to create a progressive Australia through politics.7
The Public Advocate is a Queensland independent body that is focused on upholding and protecting the rights of adults with impaired decision-making ability.8
YWCA Australia is a not-for-profit organisation that provides specialised support for women and gender diverse people and their families.9
Wiyi Yani U Thangani means women’s voices in Bunuba language and has been the work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, June Oscar AO, from 2017 to 2024. The vision is for First Nations gender justice and equality in Australia.10
Womankind Worldwide – supports women’s rights organisations and movements to strengthen and grow, securing equal rights for women and girls across the world.11
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Activism | “Deliberate actions on behalf of a cause that goes beyond what is conventional or routine.”12 |
| Advocacy | A broad term to describe any action that aims to create change. 13 Advocacy describes any action that seeks change for an individual, group, or society as a whole. Advocacy at the individual level can include campaigning for the specific needs of a person, for example, supporting someone to access their right to assistance. Advocacy at the group or societal level can include lobbying Parliament for legislative or systemic change to influence attitudes, policies and practices. |
| Systemic Advocacy | Activities campaigning for long-term social change. Systemic advocacy aims to make positive changes for a whole group of people rather than one individual.14 Examples of systemic advocacy are lobbying the government for legislative and policy change, or media campaigns to change community attitudes. |
| Lobbying | Lobbying includes any activities that involve communication with government representatives in an effort to influence decision-making. It can include activities seeking legislative or policy changes, awarding of contracts or grants, or allocation of funding.15 Lobbying can be targeted at any tier of government, that is, Federal, State or local. |
| Campaigning | “Actions, events and activities to achieve a change and to raise awareness on a specific issue working more widely across organised groups or people.”16 Campaigning does not necessarily include lobbying, but might involve other actions, such as a media campaign. |
- The Attorney-General’s Department provides Information for Lobbyists. Certain lobbyists are required to be registered before engaging in activities. This generally applies to third parties, which may be applicable to some organisations. Use the website information and Lobbying Code of Conduct to determine if registration is required federally, and learn about principles of engagement with Government representatives. Refer to the relevant State and Territory requirements below.
- The Australian Electoral Commission provides a variety of information about voting, parties and political participants and elections. The Information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people section of the website includes factsheets and booklets, Community education and First Nations Yarn and Learn sessions.
- The Commons Social Change Library has a section, New To Activism, Organising and Campaigning? Start Here! that provides a variety of topics, including campaign strategy, lobbying and advocacy and First Nations resources.17
- GetUp’s Campaigns by Me platform provides everyday people with the tools to start a campaign.18
- Messaging this Moment: A Handbook for Progressive Communicators, although American, provides tips to create clear messages for campaigns.19
- The Y Advocacy? An Intersectional Feminist Toolkit (see image) was developed by YWCA Australia to help make a difference and advocate for gender equality and other issues impacting women, girls and people of marginalised genders in Australia.20 This is a short, yet comprehensive guide to advocacy and lobbying, that considers the intersectionality of gender and race. Part One defines and explores intersectionality, power and privilege. Part Two defines activism, advocacy and campaigning, and provides guidance on identifying change makers and decision makers. Part Three provides step-by-step guides on how to plan and initiate advocacy activities.
- A Toolkit for Gender Advocacy, written by Joanna Richards21 is shared on the Australian Women’s Health Alliance resource library and includes practical tips and advice for advocating directly to parliamentarians.
- Wiyi Yani U Thangani has produced an array of resources to elevate the voices of First Nations women and girls across Australia.
Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) Securing Our Rights, Securing Our Future Report (2020) – an extensive report capturing the strengths and challenges of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls, and outlining recommendations and principles for change.22
Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) Implementation Framework – a national framework developed in consultation with First Nations women and girls to implement the findings of the Wiyi Yani Thangani (Women’s Voices): Securing Our Rights, Securing Our Future Report. Part One has resources related to defining a vision; systems practices, tools and methods; and ways of working. Part Two presents priorities and actions that can be used to inform policies and plans to create a coordinated approach nationally.
From Dreams, Let’s Make it a Reality – an animation capturing the story of Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices).23
Wiyi Yani U Thangani Change Agenda for First Nations Gender Justice – a Blakprint for transformation that First Nations women and girls want to see in the world.24
- Womankind Worldwide has developed Plan Your Power: A Toolkit for Women’s Rights Advocacy Planning, a comprehensive guide to advocacy for women’s rights internationally.
“The AEC’s Role,” AEC Australian Electoral Commission, accessed February 20, 2025, https://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/.
“Attorney-General’s Department,” Attorney-General’s Department, accessed February 20, 2025, https://www.ag.gov.au/.
“Change the Record,” Change the Record, accessed February 20, 2025, https://www.changetherecord.org.au/.
“About Us,” Australian Women’s Health Alliance, accessed September 11, 2025, https://australianwomenshealth.org/about-us/.
“About,” The Commons Social Change Library, accessed February 20, 2025, https://commonslibrary.org/about/.
“Community Change,” Community Change, accessed February 20, 2025, https://www.communitychange.org/.
“About Us,” GetUp!, accessed February 20, 2025, https://www.getup.org.au/.
“The Public Advocate,” The Public Advocate, accessed February 20, 2025, https://www.justice.qld.gov.au/public-advocate.
“Who We Are,” YCWA Australia, accessed February 20, 2025, https://www.ywca.org.au/.
“About Wiyi Yani U Thangani,” Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute, accessed February 20, 2025, https://wiyiyaniuthangani.humanrights.gov.au/about-us.
“Womankind Worldwide,” Womankind Worldwide, accessed February 20, 2025, https://www.womankind.org.uk/.
“Y Advocacy? An Intersectional Feminist Toolkit,” YCWA Australia, 2020, 12, https://www.whealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2020_YAdvocacy_IntersectionalFeministToolkit.pdf.
Y Advocacy?
“What is Systemic Advocacy,” The Public Advocate, accessed February 20, 2025, https://www.justice.qld.gov.au/public-advocate/about-the-public-advocate/what-is-systemic-advocacy.
“Information for Lobbyists,” Attorney-General’s Department, accessed February 20, 2025, https://www.ag.gov.au/integrity/australian-government-register-lobbyists/information-lobbyists.
Y Advocacy, 12
“New to Activism, Organising and Campaigning? Start Here!,” The Commons Social Change Library, accessed February 20, 2025, https://commonslibrary.org/new-to-activism-organising-and-campaigning-start-here/.
“Welcome to Campaigns By Me,” GetUp!, accessed February 20, 2025, https://me.getup.org.au/.
“Messaging this Moment: A Handbook for Progressive Communicators,” Community Change, accessed February 20, 2025, https://www.communitychange.org/wp-content/uploads/C3-Messaging-This-Moment-Handbook.pdf.
Y Advocacy
Joanna Richards, A Toolkit for Gender Advocacy, (Office of Andrew Leigh MP, 2018).
“Wiyi Yani U Thangani Report (2020),” Australian Human Rights Commission, accessed February 20, 2025, https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-social-justice/publications/wiyi-yani-u-thangani.
“From Dreams, Let’s Make it a Reality,” Australian Human Rights Commission, accessed February 20, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwU64-keBaE&t=1s.
“Change Agenda,” Wiyi Yani U Thangani, accessed February 20, 2025, https://wiyiyaniuthangani.humanrights.gov.au/change-agenda.
Attorney-General’s Department. “Attorney-General’s Department.” Accessed February 20, 2025, https://www.ag.gov.au/.
Attorney-General’s Department. “Information for Lobbyists.” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://www.ag.gov.au/integrity/australian-government-register-lobbyists/information-lobbyists.
AEC Australian Electoral Commission. “The AEC’s Role.” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/.
Australian Human Rights Commission. “From Dreams, Let’s Make it a Reality.” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwU64-keBaE&t=1s.
Australian Human Rights Commission. “Wiyi Yani U Thangani Report (2020).” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-social-justice/publications/wiyi-yani-u-thangani.
Australian Women’s Health Alliance. “About Us.” Accessed September 11, 2025. https://australianwomenshealth.org/about-us/.
The Commons Social Change Library. “About.” Accessed February 20, 2025, https://commonslibrary.org/about/.
The Commons Social Change Library. “New to Activism, Organising and Campaigning? Start Here!” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://commonslibrary.org/new-to-activism-organising-and-campaigning-start-here/.
Community Change. “Community Change.” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://www.communitychange.org/.
Community Change. “Messaging this Moment: A Handbook for Progressive Communicators.” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://www.communitychange.org/wp-content/uploads/C3-Messaging-This-Moment-Handbook.pdf.
GetUp!. “About Us.” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://www.getup.org.au/.
GetUp! “Welcome to Campaigns By Me.” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://me.getup.org.au/.
The Public Advocate. “The Public Advocate.” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://www.justice.qld.gov.au/public-advocate.
The Public Advocate. “What is Systemic Advocacy?” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://www.justice.qld.gov.au/public-advocate/about-the-public-advocate/what-is-systemic-advocacy.
Richards, Joanna. A Toolkit for Gender Advocacy. Office of Andrew Leigh MP, 2018.
YCWA Australia. “Who We Are.” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://www.ywca.org.au/.
Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute. “About Wiyi Yani U Thangani.” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://wiyiyaniuthangani.humanrights.gov.au/about-us.
Wiyi Yani U Thangani. “Change Agenda.” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://wiyiyaniuthangani.humanrights.gov.au/change-agenda.
Womankind Worldwide. “Womankind Worldwide.” Accessed February 20, 2025. https://www.womankind.org.uk/.