The idea for a women's organisation came during the late 1970s, when the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara communities of northwestern South Australia were struggling for the rights to their land. During meetings about land rights, the women felt that their needs were not being met, so they decided to establish their own organisation. A women's meeting was held at Amaṯa in 1980. It was chaired by Pitjantjatjara elder Nganyinytja, who had been a leader among women throughout the land-rights struggle. The formation of the NPY Women's Council is said to have been partly inspired by a speech Nganyinytja made at demonstration in Adelaide later in the year.