Fertility has been a focus for 100 years

Thursday July 14, 1994 Media release by Rosemary Cadden

Women were fighting 100 years ago to get their own health services—100 years later they are fighting to keep them. And fertility control remains an on-going issue.

"It is interesting to see how some things never change,: said public health consultant Jocelyn Auer. Ms Auer and journalist Helen Covernton are currently researching material for a book on the social history of women's contribution to the development of health services in South Australia over the past century.

The project is one of the SA Health Commission's major contributions to the 1994 celebrations of the Women's Suffrage Centenary in South Australia.

Mr Auer said the project would highlight:

• women struggles for their rights to services which better reflect their needs;

• women's efforts to find avenues to gain representation in decision-making; and

• women co-operating to achieve change.

The book, expected to be released at the end of the year, will explore health issues of concern to women over the past 100 years, and how women have worked to achieve change.

It will describe the gradual moves since the 1890s, when philanthropic deeds and fund-raising dominated efforts to gain services for women, to the 1990s, where women how hold influential decision-making positions in politics, the Public Service and in management.