Molly Wardaguga Institute

🔥 One Fire, Many Flames Conference 2026 🔥

We are excited to co-host this conference on 2–3 September 2026.
Join us at the Stamford Grand Hotel, Glenelg, for a powerful gathering celebrating Blak excellence and strengthening Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.

✨Abstracts now open – share your knowledge, stories, and impact
🎟️ Registrations now open – Early Bird available until 26 June
🤝 Sponsorship opportunities available – connect, showcase, and support

This two-day conference will bring together communities, leaders, researchers, and service providers for meaningful conversations, cultural connection, and collective progress.

Guided by One Fire Many Flames, we come together to ignite ideas, inspire collaboration, and create lasting change for future generations.

🔗 Get involved:
Abstracts: https://one-fire-many-flames-2026.eventsair.site/abstracts
Register: https://one-fire-many-flames-2026.eventsair.site/registrations
Sponsors: https://one-fire-many-flames-2026.eventsair.site/sponsors-and-exhibitors
More info: https://one-fire-many-flames-2026.eventsair.site/about

SAHMRI Charles Darwin University CDU Faculty of Health Centre of Research Excellence in Stillbirth

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭? 𝐔𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies born at a healthy weight has not improved in nine years, according to the latest data from the Productivity Commission.

Dr Yvette Roe told ABC News that we often see system failure when mothers fall out of the system and do not receive the critical support they need during pregnancy.

"We need to reconfigure the system so that it is mum and bub centred, but also it's resourced appropriately from the primary healthcare sector to the hospital sector."

There is strong evidence that community-led, culturally safe Birthing on Country models are delivering measurable, positive outcomes for hundreds of families across Australia.

While continued funding announcements are welcomed, progress will continue to stall unless governments invest at the scale of need — now.

Read article 🔗 http://go.cdu.edu.au/fr3a


Charles Darwin University

We are proud to share new research from the Molly Wardaguga Institute, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific.

Led by our team in partnership with Waminda - South Coast Women's Health & Wellbeing Aboriginal Corp., the study evaluated the clinical effectiveness of a rural, Aboriginal Community Controlled Birthing on Country service compared with mainstream maternity care.

The findings show that women supported through Waminda’s program experienced:
🏥 Significantly more normal vaginal births
🍼 Higher rates of exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge
🫱🏿‍🫲🏾 Access to holistic, culturally safe support programs, with more than 90% of women engaging in at least one additional service

This research adds to the growing evidence that community-designed, culturally grounded Birthing on Country models improve outcomes for First Nations women and babies.

"We thank the Waminda women, families and community whose leadership, trust and partnership made this work possible", lead author Yu Gao.

The study was authored by: Yu Gao, Sue Kildea, Bec Coddington, Melanie Briggs, Cleone Wellington, Faye Worner, Donna L Hartz, Juanita Sherwood & Dr Yvette Roe.

Read the media release: http://go.cdu.edu.au/frrq

Open access paper: https://lnkd.in/ggVkeHYm

📷 Waminda's Birthing on Country team and mum Nekaya dote on baby Akarii at the Minga Gudjaga Gunyah mother and baby clinic in Nowra NSW by Tace Stevens

Charles Darwin University Western Sydney University University of Sydney UTS: Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education & Research CDU Faculty of Health

⚠️ NEW PARTNERSHIP ALERT!!! ⚠️

Mookai Rosie team members met with representatives from The Molly Wardaguga Institute for First Nations Birth Rights this week to move forward with our exciting new partnership! 🙌🏾

Mookai Rosie has been selected as a pilot site for the Institute's 'RISE Birthing on Country' short course and toolkit towards improving key maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) indicators for First Nations women 🤰🏾🩷👩🏿‍🍼

THANK YOU to Institute team members Isabella Garti, Yvette Roe and Anekka Bowman for visiting us! 🙏🏾

We're excited to share more about our work with Charles Darwin University's Molly Wardaguga Research Centre soon!

Wonderful milestone from our partners at Waminda - South Coast Women's Health & Wellbeing Aboriginal Corp. 👏

Don't miss this wonderful opportunity! The Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute is sponsoring a limited number of places for First Nations women, girls, Sistergirls, and gender-diverse people to attend Women Deliver 2026.

For the first time, the world's largest gender equality conference is being held in the Oceanic Pacific region. From 27–30 April 2026, over 6,500 people from 170+ countries will gather in Narrm (Melbourne), on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Peoples, to shape what happens next for gender justice.

More details 👇

Women Deliver 2026 Expressions of Interest now open for First Nations women, girls, Sistergirls and gender-diverse Peoples

For the first time, Women Deliver is coming to Australia — April 27-30, 2026 in Narrm (Melbourne), on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Peoples. Over 6,500 people from around the world gathering to shape what happens next for gender justice.

This is a pivotal moment to share our knowledges, connect with global networks, and shape critical conversations on gender justice at an international level.

The Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute is proudly supporting First Nations women, girls, Sistergirls and gender-diverse peoples to attend with sponsored positions.

You don't need to be working in the "gender sector" to apply. Whether you're caring for Country; supporting community health; keeping language and culture alive; working in education, arts, business, law, or cultural heritage; finding your way after a tough time; studying or learning from Elders... Your voice and your knowledge matter here.

What's included: Conference registration, return flights to Melbourne, accommodation, meals, airport transfers.

We can also explore support for those with accessibility requirements, caring responsibilities and travelling with children.

Know someone who should be there? Share this with them!

Applications close 1 February 2026.

📋 Learn more and apply: http://www.wiyiyaniuthangani.com.au/opportunities/women-deliver-2026

📬 Sign up for updates: https://mailchi.mp/a944f0003c3a/sign-up

Questions? Contact [email protected]