This week, 7-14 July, is NAIDOC Week and the theme for 2024 is ‘Blak, Loud and Proud’ which encapsulates the “unapologetic celebration of Indigenous identity”. The theme also celebrates the unyielding spirit of communities and invites all to stand in solidarity, amplifying the voices that have long been silenced.
NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee and its origins can be traced to the emergence of Aboriginal groups in the 1920s which sought to increase awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
As a non-Indigenous organisation, AFMW supported the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and holds that equity in healthcare access is a fundamental human right.
NAIDOC Week Local Events >>
Many AFMW members are proud to celebrate NAIDOC Week and the rich and diverse cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. I encourage all AFMW members to participate in a NAIDOC event in their local community.
Learn more about the history of NAIDOC Week >>
In particular I urge all website visitors and eBulletin readers to read all of the NAIDOC Week special edition of Medical Journal of Australia which is an inaugural collaboration with and edited by Aboriginal and Torres Strait leaders in health, underlining a commitment to amplifying the voices and research of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers.
AFMW Purple Bush Medicine Leaves Bursary Program >>
AFMW continues its commitment to the support of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in medicine through the AFMW Purple Bush Medicine Leaves Bursary Program.
In the spirit of the NAIDOC Week, we are very pleased to celebrate the outcome of the 2024 Purple Bush Medicine Leaves Bursary Program with the announcement of this year’s bursary recipients.
Former AFMW Council member
Former AFMW representative for ACT and Region MWS
