Endeavour Forum

{{Infobox organization

| name = Endeavour Forum

| logo = Endeavour Forum logo.png

| logo_size = 160px

| founded_date = 1979

| location = Melbourne

| area_served = Australia

| founder = Babette Francis (1930-2024)

| non-profit_slogan =

| homepage = http://www.endeavourforum.org.au/

}}

Endeavour Forum (originally Women Who Want to be Women) is a conservative political organisation describing itself as "a Christian, pro-life, pro-family organisation that was founded to counter feminism, to defend the right to life of the unborn, and to support marriage and the natural family." It was founded in 1979 by the late Babette Francis AM (1930-2024) and has links to similar groups, such as the Australian Family Association and the World Congress of Families. It exerted strong influence on the Fraser government of the seventies and eighties and the Queensland state government led by Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen (1911-2005) until it fell due to internal government corruption in the late eighties.

The Endeavour Forum is listed on the Australian National Women's Register as a lobby group and as a "women's rights organisation".{{cite web|url=http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE0738b.htm |title=Australian National Women's Register |author=Carey, Jane|work=Australian National Women's Register|date=16 March 2004 |accessdate=30 September 2017}} Formerly known as "Women Who Want to be Women", it is now known as Endeavour Forum because the organisation recognised that men comprised a significant proportion of their membership and therefore their original name was inappropriate.

Lobbying

The Endeavour Forum campaigns against abortion{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-21/francisabortion/4381186 |title=Abortion's short-sighted 'solution' delivers long-term heartbreak |author=Francis, Babette|work=ABC|date=21 November 2012 |accessdate=30 September 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2012/06/18/fight-breast-cancer-by-speaking-out-against-abortion/ |title=Fight breast cancer – by speaking out against abortion |author=Phillips, Francis|work=Catholic Herald|date=18 June 2012 |accessdate=30 September 2017}} with Francis being the Australian representative of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer.{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/author.asp?id=1882 |title=Babette Francis |accessdate=30 September 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://ww38.abortionbreastcancer.com/ |title=AbortionBreastCancer |work=Abortion Breast Cancer |date=2017 |accessdate=30 September 2017}} However, abortion in Australia has been decriminalised throughout Australia's various states and territories.

The Endeavour Forum has raised concerns regarding Islam in Australia and its radicalisation.{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/pamela-geller-and-robert-spencer-of-stop-islamisation-of-nations-set-to-speak-here/news-story/60de0f5fc227302d6d7d325963fc1272 |title=Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer of Stop Islamisation of Nations set to speak here |author=Masanauskas, John|work=Herald Sun|date= 27 January 2014|accessdate=30 September 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/muslim-women-thrive-with-pool-man-ban/news-story/28fcdacf52713de99f56658d49baf2e7?sv=fa6846bf084f222776cad31a7d53dd4d |title=Muslim women thrive with pool man ban |author=Masanauskas, John|work=Herald Sun|date=23 July 2012 |accessdate=30 September 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/30/anti-islam-but-pro-gay-how-mosque-opponents-tie-themselves-in-knots |title=Anti-Islam, but pro-gay? How mosque opponents tie themselves in knots |author=O'Brien, Connor|work=The Guardian |date=30 September 2014|accessdate=30 September 2017}}

The organisation was a partner of the Coalition for Marriage in advancing the "No" case, associated with the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey. As with the decriminalisation and liberalisation of abortion in Australia, it ultimately failed to prevent the recognition of same-sex marriage in Australia regardless.

The Endeavour Forum's founder, Babette Francis, was appointed as a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM) by the Governor-General of Australia in the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours List.{{Cite web |last=Sarwal |first=Amit |title=Thirteen Indian-Australians in Queen’s Birthday 2022 Honours List, Here's detail - The Australia Today |url=https://www.theaustraliatoday.com.au/thirteen-indian-australians-in-queens-birthday-2022-honours-list-here-details/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |language=en-AU}} In 2022, she retired from the leadership of the organisation that she founded and is which is now led wholly by men. Mrs Francis passed away in July 2024 Bill Muehlenberg: "Babette Francis RIP" Culture Watch 17.07.2024: http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2024/07/17/babette-francis-rip