Setting the Agenda for Rural Women: Research Directions

The Centre for Rural Social Research presents a National Conference focusing on Research Directions for Rural Women. The Conference will bring together people with an interest in gender issues in agriculture, natural resource management and rural community/economic development. Researchers and academics, non-government and representative organisations; government policy advisors and Federal and State politicians; extension and community development workers; and stakeholders and service providers are all encouraged to participate.

- Conference Objectives -

The objectives of the Conference are to:
- share information about current research and policy;
- raise awareness of the particular issues and challenges of research in these areas;
- strengthen partnerships between research stakeholders;
- draw out themes for state and federal government policy development;
- identify and establish strategies to address research gaps;and
- develop an agenda for future research.

The workshop themes will include, but are not restricted to:
research methodology;
program evaluation;
rural community development;
Government policy and support for rural women;
decision-making and leadership;
indigenous rural women;
non-English speaking rural women;
young rural women;
the role of women in mainstream organisations;
rural services and information technology;
women in agriculture and resource management;
work-life balance; and
the role of non-government organisations in the rural sector.

Suggestions for other workshop themes are welcomed.

The workshop format will be 2-3 short presentations on current research/programs, followed by a facilitated discussion. The structure of the presentation should meet the following objectives: presentation of current research; identification of research gaps and future research priorities; indication of the policy implications of the research; and proposal of recommendations on future research or policy strategies.

The Conference program includes plenary sessions, keynote speakers, workshops on relevant themes, displays and a conference dinner.

Keynote speakers include:

Dr Sally Shortall, Queens University, Belfast
Associate Professor Margaret Alston, CRSR, Charles Sturt University
Fiona Haslam-McKenzie, Edith Cowan University
Cathy McGowan, University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury

The Conference venue is Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW. Accommodation will be available on campus at reasonable rates. Full registration is $200, student rate $130.

For further information