Sex and Gender
Australia showcased gender equality on the pitch. Now let’s try it on budget policy
Last week, I had the privilege of attending part of an APEC inter-ministerial meeting in Seattle at the invitation of Australia’s Department of the Prime Minister and…
Why the F word matters if we’re serious about gender equality in foreign policy
As Australia’s international development community awaits the highly anticipated new International Development Policy, another strategy is quietly being formulated. The Department…
Women belong everywhere and this World Cup proves football can be the great equaliser
For those who love sport as much as international policy, it’s a glorious moment when the two come together.
And right now, all eyes are on the FIFA Women’s World Cup in…
The importance of pride: supporting LGBTQ rights in Asia
I come from the Philippines and as a transgender woman in a predominantly Christian society, it is somehow a paradox that regardless how conservative and colonial our collective…
Expanding the Women, Peace and Security agenda to the next frontier – space
The United Nations’ Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda reflects strong evidence that involving women in questions of peace and conflict leads to better stability. This…
Don’t reward the Taliban’s gender apartheid with recognition
Despite international condemnations and failed diplomatic engagement, the “Taliban 2.0” have deliberately instituted gender apartheid to optimise their political control in…
Beijing and the birth rate: a question of human rights for women
As China grapples with population decline, the pressure on women in China is only increasing. Under paramount leader Xi Jinping, women’s rights continue to deteriorate as the…
“Amplify their voice”: Promoting gender equity in Asia and the Pacific
Imagine the world of 2323, three centuries hence. A time when gender equity is finally achieved around the globe, according to the latest estimates of the current rate of progress…
Women and politics: a new world order
If we start the count in 1940, the world has had 133 female heads of state or government, with the number growing over recent years. A who’s who of game-changers – judged both on…
A new era of democracy for Fiji – but where are the women?
The most recent Fijian election, held in December 2022, was hailed as a milestone in the Pacific Island country’s democratic journey – yet this has come at a price, with the…