Balance the Scales: International Women’s Day 2026

Women’s Legal Service WA and Working Women’s Centre WA invite you to Balance the Scales, a conversation‑led and inclusive International Women’s Day event exploring how each of us can take practical, everyday actions to help prevent violence against women. This event is designed for people inside and outside the FDSV sector, offering a safe space to listen, reflect, and deepen our understanding of the role we all play in creating safer communities. Through honest dialogue and shared learning, attendees will be encouraged to connect, challenge assumptions, and consider how allyship can be put into practice in real, meaningful ways.

Each year, more women turn to WLSWA for support with complex legal issues arising from family, domestic and sexual violence. In 2025, WLSWA supported over 1300 women.

Many event attendees may be engaging with these issues for the first time. This will be a practical and reflective event for anyone committed to showing up as an ally and helping balance the scales for women across Western Australia. By opening up this conversation in a supportive and respectful environment, we broaden community responsibility and highlight that preventing violence against women is not solely the work of women or the FDSV sector; it is the shared responsibility of all of us.

This event is delivered in partnership with the Working Women’s Centre WA, with sincere thanks to Palace Tower and Ord Minnett for generously donating the venue and for their support of the event.

Event Details:

11:00 am – 1:00 pm, Wednesday 11 March 2026

Boorloo Room, Palace Tower, 108 St. George's Terrace

Overview:

• 11:00 am Opening & Welcome to Country

  • Keynote Address: Rabia Siddique

  • Panel Discussion

  • Closing Remarks

• 12:15 pm Light Lunch, Refreshments & Networking

• 1:00 pm Event Close

Please arrive by 10.45 for registration for a prompt start at 11:00 am.

Keynote: Rabia Siddique

Rabia Siddique is an internationally recognised human rights lawyer, former British Army officer, hostage survivor and award‑winning keynote speaker. She is also the author of Equal Justice, which reflects on her experiences with racism, trauma, and her lived experience of family, domestic and sexual violence. Known for her powerful, authentic storytelling, Rabia will open the event with insights on courage, accountability and leadership, setting the tone for a thoughtful and practical conversation.

Our Panel

We are bringing together a thoughtful and deeply experienced panel to explore safety, accountability and allyship from multiple vantage points:

Dr Alison Evans – CEO, Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing

Allison brings extensive sector knowledge and leadership experience, offering critical insight into the realities facing women in Western Australia and the systemic changes needed to create lasting safety and equality.

Dave Palmer – Detective A/Superintendent, Sex Crime Division, WA Police

Dave contributes a frontline policing perspective, bringing experience from working directly with survivors, families and justice pathways, providing a deeper understanding of community responsibility and the role of institutions in responding to harm.

Damian Green – CEO, Stopping Family Violence

Damian is a specialist in FDV policy and practice, and is a passionate advocate and researcher of perpetrator responses in WA. He brings valuable expertise in perpetrator intervention, men’s behaviour change and systemic prevention strategies.

Dr Robert Guthrie - Pro-Bono lawyer

Rob has practiced law in the areas of personal injuries and workplace/employment/industrial laws since 1982. In 2010, he was sworn in as an Assessor of Criminal Injuries Compensation and worked daily with victim/survivors who were seeking compensation arising from Family and Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Since 2023, he has been providing pro bono assistance to a number of Community Law Centres on criminal injuries claims.

Rabia Siddique - Human Rights Lawyer, Lived Experience FDSV Advocate

This is a free event, made possible through the generosity of our partners.

If you would like to donate, all contributions go directly to supporting women in crisis, helping them access safety, legal assistance, and essential support when they need it most.

Donate: https://www.givenow.com.au/justiceforwomen