The WNC Violence Against Women Working Group was established following recommendations made by the WNC’s Future Female Conference held in December 2000. The Conference identified the need to develop a cohesive, powerful and more effective voice to Government on action needed to address violence against women. This Working Group was established to do this. The VAW Working group has been chaired, since 2005, by WNC Commissioner Liz Kelly.  

The Working Group’s current terms of reference are:           

1. To promote understanding and awareness of violence against women and effect changes in laws, policy and practice.
2. To monitor implementation of Government Action Plans.
3. To co-ordinate WNC member views on violence against women and to ensure that these views are represented to policy-makers.
4. To liaise with other WNC Groups on relevant aspects of work.
5. To produce reports in response to national and international developments.
6. To liaise with Government departments, other non-departmental public bodies, and relevant NGO policy working groups.

• key specialist women’s organisations working in the field of VAW, with extensive national networks and/or strategic position;
• representatives from other women’s NGOs with policy experience in this work, with extensive national networks;
• women academics and activists with a track record of working on VAW;
• WNC Directorate staff.  

WNC Violence Against Women Working Group has two sub-groups to deliver on the broader Working Group terms of reference and objectives: 

• a Domestic Violence Action Sub-Group, and 
• a Sexual Violence Policy Monitoring Sub-Group.