The names of the 78 victims, most allegedly killed by a current or former intimate partner, were written on festive cards strung up on the lawns of Parliament House, read aloud and remembered with a moment's silence on Friday.

More than 100 support workers and women's group members gathered on the lawns at a rally to maintain pressure on federal politicians to do more to stamp out domestic violence.

YWCA Canberra executive director Frances Crimmins said 2015 had signalled a louder national conversation about domestic violence and resulted in numerous funding announcements from state and territory governments and a Senate inquiry.

"But it's still not enough," she said.

Ms Crimmins said Australia had failed to properly address domestic abuse and acknowledging that gender inequality was the root cause of violence against women was the first step to truly eliminating it.

"We need long-term, adequately resourced primary prevention, backed up by appropriately funded crisis and support services and effective law enforcement."

She called on politicians to provide adequate resources for respectful relationships education for young people across the country and to better resource front-line domestic violence services.

She also urged the government to boost access to housing support for women who fled domestic violence, remove means testing for victims who needed legal aid and to be more responsive to the needs of diverse and marginalised groups.

"This time of the year is when many families enjoy each other's company, and reflect on the importance of their relationships – but it's also a time when we see a spike in domestic violence incidents.

"We urge you all to be aware of this as we go into the festive season – for many women, this is a time of heightened fear and anxiety."

Fraser MP Andrew Leigh, who attended the rally with ACT senator Katy Gallagher, told the rally that conversations about respectful relationships needed to begin at home.

"The awful thing about the conversation around family violence for too long it's been considered a private matter, something not to be talked about rather than recognising all of us are diminished when family violence occurs."

Among the cards were the names of ACT women killed allegedly due to domestic violence in 2015; Tara Costigan, 28, Sabah al-Mdwali, 28 and Daniela D'Addario, 35.

Rally attendees held signs that advocated for the rights of women who experience domestic violence and read "She needs gender equality", "She needs access to legal advice and support" and "She needs to be able to tell her story in her own language".

The event marked the end of the global 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence campaign.