The Minns Labor Government is investing more than $100,000 in 21 grassroots initiatives that promote gender equality and help prevent gender-based violence for this year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (25 November to 10 December) campaign.
The grant program supports activities that encourage community action to prevent violence before it starts. These include community forums, workshops, digital communications campaigns, youth-led initiatives and other events that promote gender equality, respect and social norms that reject violence.
Delivered through Local Domestic and Family Violence Committees and Local Domestic Violence Networks, initiatives are being delivered across metropolitan, regional and rural New South Wales, ensuring that people across the state can take part.
The NSW Government is taking a whole-of-community approach to preventing domestic, family and sexual violence, as outlined in Pathways to Prevention: NSW Strategy for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence 2024-2028, which is supported by a $38.3 million investment.
It is part of the Minns Labor Government’s wider efforts to stop the violence before it starts, including working with:
- Sporting organisations through our Multisport Coalition, Game on for Change Grants and Aboriginal Sport for Respect grants to harness the influence of sports to prevent domestic and family violence
- Workplaces to prevent and address sexual harassment through SafeWork NSW Respect at Work workshops
- Local community organisations to change attitudes and behaviours that tolerate violence in the community
- Schools through a whole of school Respectful Relationships Education program to promote gender equality, empathy, and safety.
Our prevention work is on top of a $184.1 million boost in funding to six specialist domestic and family violence programs, to ensure victim-survivors receive the crucial support they need. This represents a 50 per cent uplift to key programs, one of the largest across-the-board increases in years.
For more information about the successful recipients, go to Recipients of 16 Days of Activism 2026.
Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Jodie Harrison said:
“Domestic and family violence affects communities across our state, and preventing it requires everyone to play a role.
“That’s why we are investing in grassroots initiatives that promote respectful and healthy relationships, and address the attitudes, stereotypes and inequalities that can drive gender-based violence.
“We’re empowering communities in New South Wales to take action, to engage people of all ages and backgrounds in meaningful ways to create a future where violence is never tolerated and everyone can live safely.”
Support:
If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call the Police on Triple Zero / 000.
For confidential advice, support, and referrals, contact 1800 RESPECT or 13 YARN.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, call the NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63 for free counselling and referrals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, call the Sexual Violence Helpline on 1800 424 017 for free counselling and referrals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For information on Men’s Behaviour Change Programs operating in your local area, contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.
Recipients of 16 Days of Activism grants:
- Advance Diversity Services – Parent’s Workshop on Technology Facilitated Abuse and Contemporary Masculinity ($5,000), Kogarah
- Blacktown Area Community Centres – Change Starts With Us: A Community Conversation About Preventing Domestic and Family Violence ($5,000) – Blacktown
- Central West Women’s Health Centre – 16 Days of Activism – Standing Together Against Violence ($5,000) – Bathurst
- Cessnock City Council – A Community United in Prevention and Justice ($3,374) – Cessnock
- Coonamble Neighbourhood Centre – Coonamble 16 Days of Activism Project ($5,000) – Coonamble
- Didibahini Women’s Network Australia – Sisterhood Speaks – Culturally Safe Awareness for South Asian Communities ($5,000) Blacktown
- Fortitude Minds Limited – Positive Masculinity: Young Men Creating Change ($5,000) – Kellyville
- Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Domestic Violence Network – Walk the Talk & Together Beyond 16 Days of Activism ($4,934) – Hornsby/Ku-ring-gai
- Jenny’s Place Inc – Respect Looks Good On Us ($4,837) – Newcastle
- Lithgow Community Projects – Connected Futures: Youth Wellbeing, Resilience and Respectful Relationships Initiative ($5,000) – Lithgow
- Plus Community – Broken Hill 16 Days of Activism Campaign ($5,000) – Broken Hill
- Port Stephens Family and Neighbourhood Services – Port Stephens Says No to Violence: Hear. Support. Act ($5,000) – Port Stephens
- Prince of Wales Hospital Social Work – From Awareness to Action: A Commitment to Change ($3,000) – Randwick
- Relationships Australia NSW- Men in the Conversation: Understanding the Manosphere and Building Positive Alternatives ($4,500) – Statewide / Online
- The Family Co. Limited – The Walk for Respectful Relationships ($5,000) – Cronulla
- The Women’s Shelter Armidale – Armidale Purple Bench and Lives Remembered Community Action Project ($5,000) – Armidale
- Upper Hunter Homeless Specialist and Outreach Service Limited – Challenge Harm & Choose Respect ($5,000) – Muswellbrook
- Wagga Women’s Health Centre Inc – Remember. Learn. Act. – A Community Campaign for 16 Days of Activism ($5,000) – Wagga Wagga
- Women Illawarra Inc – Every Rose, Every Voice: From Remembrance to Action ($5,000) – Wollongong
- Women Support Centre Ltd – Women’s Voices, Choices & Equality ($5,000) – Mount Druitt
- Young Crisis Accommodation Centre Inc – Paint the Hilltops Purple ($5,000) – Young / Cootamundra
