VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES INQUIRY TO ADDRESS GENDER PAIN GAP

* Overseen by the Women's Health Advisory Council, the inquiry will examine systemic issues and hear directly from women across the state

* Submissions to the inquiry will open on January 30

* The inquiry wants to hear from women and girls aged over 12, including those who are culturally and gender diverse or living with a disability

* The inquiry will undergo a nine-week consultation period before it is set to provide a report to the government later this year

* It follows findings from the landmark Listening to Women's Voices survey led by the Allan Labor government revealing women's experiences are regularly overlooked as a "niche issue"

LISTENING TO WOMEN'S VOICES KEY FINDINGS:

* Surveyed 1772 Victorian women who shared their personal experiences with the healthcare system

* Survey ran online covering people from across the state during September and October 2023

* Of those surveyed 1.2 per cent identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, 13.4 per cent identified as LGBTQI, 14.2 per cent were of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and 20.6 per cent were living with a disability

* Two in five Victorian women live with chronic pain

* About half of participants reported their health and wellbeing is impacted by mental health, menstruation, perinatal care, and sexual and reproductive health

* One in three reported feeling dismissed and unheard from experiences with insensitive practitioners

* 30 per cent stated conditions such as endometriosis, menopause and chronic pain led to poor mental health.