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Priorities

MWHA 10 key priorities

We have identified 10 key areas in which Monash has deep expertise and a unique contribution to make. Our collective work and focus across these areas strives to positively influence health, economic, cultural, social, and political outcomes for women and girls.

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1. Autoimmune diseases View

Health conditions

Lupus
Multiple sclerosis
Arthritis
Coeliac disease

Facts

About 8 per cent of the population is affected by autoimmune diseases and of those about 78 per cent are women.

About 90 per cent of lupus diagnoses occur in women.

In Australia, three times more women than men develop Multiple Sclerosis

Women are three times more likely to get Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

Women are more likely to be younger when they get RA and their pain is worse.

60 to 70 per cent of those diagnosed with coeliac disease are women.

2. Dementia and alzheimer’s – healthy ageing View

Health conditions

Dementia and Alzheimer’s
Osteoporosis

Facts

Dementia and Alzheimer’s are the leading cause of death for Australian women.

Women are four times more likely to be affected by osteoporosis.

Women are twice as likely to experience hip implant failure due to design and clinical trial bias.

3. Elimination of violence against women and girls View

Health conditions

Policy frameworks
Changing gendered norms and beliefs
Addressing financial dependence
Access to support services

Facts

In Australia about 1 in 4 women (23 per cent or about 2.3 million) have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner since age 15.

If no women experienced Intimate Partner Violence, the disease burden among women due to homicide and violence would be reduced by 49 per cent.

4. Endometriosis and pelvic pain View

Health conditions

Endometriosis
Adenomyosis
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Ovarian cysts or torsion
Bladder inflammation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Chronic pelvic pain syndrome
Trauma-related pain

Facts

About 1 in 4 women globally suffer from the devastating impact of pelvic organ prolapse.

About 1 in 7 females, or 14 per cent of girls and women in Australia, are estimated to have endometriosis by ages 44-49.

There is a delay in diagnosis: the period between onset of symptoms and diagnosis is on average 6-8 years in Australia.

Health expenditures are significant and rising: in 2022-23, total Australian health system spending on endometriosis was AUD $293 million, more than double what it was in 2013-14.

5. Heart health View

Health conditions

Cardiovascular disease (CVD)
Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
Stroke
Heart failure
Arrhythmias
Hypertension

Facts

20 Australian women die of a heart attack every day.

Heart disease in women continues to be under diagnosed and under treated. Women are also under-represented in clinical trials in cardiology.

In pregnancy, cardiovascular complications (including hypertension during pregnancy, gestational diabetes, etc.) affect about 15 per cent of pregnancies. Left untreated post-partum women will go on to develop CVD later in life.

CVD remains a major cause of death for women. It is second only to dementia as the leading cause of death among women.

Risk of stroke is higher for women than men, with a 1-in-4 risk of stroke for women after age 25.

6. Maternal and newborn health View

Health conditions

Fertility
Antenatal / Perinatal care
Pregnancy care
Birth injuries
Premature babies and the first 1000 days
Parenting

Facts

About 6 million Australian women are of reproductive age.

In 2023, the recorded number of births in Australia was 286,998.

More than 2100 Australian babies are stillborn.

In Australia it is estimated that more than 100 babies are injured during childbirth every year.

1 in 3 Australian women report birth trauma.

Women in regional, rural, and remote areas face more difficulties accessing pre-natal care.

7. Menopause / endocrinology View

Health conditions

Diabetes
Sex hormones
Thyroid
Mental health
Productivity at work
Stigma
Medical misogyny
Gender gap in research

Facts

82 per cent of Australian women who’ve had menopause symptoms report that those symptoms affect quality of life.

In women aged 45-64, about 25 per cent reported that menopausal symptoms in the past 5 years made it hard to do daily activities.

Menopause is associated with increased risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, changes in cholesterol, weight gain / obesity, possibly diabetes, as well as impacts on mental health.

Only about 57 per cent of women who have experienced menopause symptoms have sought medical advice.

Women with diabetes have a:

13 per cent greater risk of death from all causes
30 per cent greater risk of death from cardiovascular disease
58 per cent greater risk of death from coronary heart disease.

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is the most common thyroid disorder in Australia. It is experienced by 1 in 33 Australians and is more common in women.

Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) affects around 3 per 1,000 people in Australia and is more common in women, often between ages 20-50.

8. Reproductive health View

Health conditions

Contraception
Abortion care – workforce training, access and education
PCOS
Menstruation
Fertility
Psychosocial aspects of reproduction
Pregnancy disorders - gestational diabetes and preeclampsia
Ovarian / cervical / breast cancer
Women’s Mental Health

Facts

Around 2 in 3 Australian women aged 18–44 use some form of contraception.

About 1 in 4 Australian women experience an unintended pregnancy in their lifetime.

Many women are under-informed about which contraceptives are most effective. A recent survey (National Women’s Health Survey) found low awareness of IUD effectiveness.

PCOS affects about 1 in 8 Australian women (12-13 per cent) of reproductive age.

The condition is often undiagnosed: up to 70 per cent of women with PCOS may not realise they have it.

1 in 6 couples of reproductive age have infertility challenges.

A study of 6,500 women over 18 years found about 50 per cent of women with fertility issues experience significant psychological distress.

9. Sexually transmitted diseases View

Health conditions

Chlamydia
Gonorrhoea
Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
Genital Herpes (HSV-1 and HSV-2)
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
Hepatitis B (Sexually Transmissible)

Facts

Chlamydia is the most frequently notified STI in Australia. Around half of chlamydia notifications are among females

Young women (aged 15-29) carry a high burden: two-thirds of chlamydia diagnoses happen in that age group

Many STIs are asymptomatic in women - meaning women may carry infections like chlamydia or gonorrhoea without noticeable symptoms. This delays diagnosis and treatment.

10. Workforce participation and economic advancement View

Health conditions

Gender gap
Access to childcare
Career breaks
Superannuation disparity
Ageisim

Facts

As of mid-2025 the gender pay gap is reported at 11.5 per cent for full-time ordinary earnings.

Access to childcare, parental leave arrangements, flexible work, cultural expectations around caregiving still influence women’s workforce participation.

20.7 per cent of workers aged over 50 reported encountering age discrimination in the workplace, in a 2021 report. That was nearly double compared to 2016 (9.6 per cent).

Women are more likely than men to report certain kinds of stereotyping: “perceived as having outdated skills,” “being slow to learn,” or assumptions that they won’t deliver as well.

A study “Gendered Ageism in Australia” (using HILDA data + qualitative interviews) found that while perceived ageism has fallen more among older men than older women, the decline for women is much smaller. So women continue to experience ageism more persistently.

Monash Women's Health Alliance

Monash Women's Health Alliance

Priorities

MWHA 10 key priorities

1. Autoimmune diseases View

2. Dementia and alzheimer’s – healthy ageing View

3. Elimination of violence against women and girls View

4. Endometriosis and pelvic pain View

5. Heart health View

6. Maternal and newborn health View

7. Menopause / endocrinology View

8. Reproductive health View

9. Sexually transmitted diseases View

10. Workforce participation and economic advancement View