Together We Can Change the Story: Exploring Men’s Role in Building Respect and Equality

Together We Can Change the Story Loddon Mallee. 

Join us in conversation with Tarang Chawla and other gender equality advocates as we explore men’s roles in building respect and equality to prevent gender-based violence.  

Tarang Chawla and guest panelists, Mitch Nivalis and Mark Hands, are actively working to engage men, to explore the roles they can take in the prevention of gendered violence, and to empower them to actively make a difference and lead change in their communities.  

Presented by Women’s Health Loddon Mallee and Greater Bendigo Against Family Violence, this webinar is aimed at anyone wanting to explore how to be a gender equality advocate and engage in the prevention of violence against women and other forms of gender-based violence, including men seeking to understand their role as allies.

Men’s violence against women is influenced by gendered factors that manifest in everyday environments—where people live, work, learn, and socialise. By collaborating to prevent disrespect and violence before it begins, we can change the narrative. Everyone has a part to play in creating lasting change. 

About Tarang Chawla: 

Tarang Chawla is an award-winning keynote speaker, writer, advocate and recovering lawyer.   

Tarang serves as Commissioner at the Victorian Multicultural Commission where he works to bring the voices and lived experiences of culturally diverse people to policymakers. He is also the co-founder of Not One More Niki, a grassroots non-profit working to end men’s violence against women named in memory of his younger sister Nikita who was murdered by her partner in 2015.  

Tarang is also a sessional academic at Monash University where he teaches across the School of Sociology and Social Sciences, Politics and International Relations, and the Centre for Media, Film and Journalism.   

Tarang wrote, produced and hosted the acclaimed podcast There's No Place Like Home. Earlier, Tarang was a founding board member of the Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council (VSAC) alongside 2015 Australian of the Year, Rosie Batty, where he advised both state and federal governments on family violence reform.   

Tarang is a non-executive director on the boards of the Australian Republic Movement (ARM), Gender and Disaster Australia and is a Trust Advisor to the Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (GMCT).  

He is a former Young Australian of the Year Finalist, twice listed as one of the Top 25 Most Influential People working for Social Change and named as one of Australia’s Top 40 Under 40 Most Influential Asian-Australians.    

Tarang is a frequent media commentator on social issues from mental health, masculinities, gender equality, racism, politics and Indo-Australian relations. His work can be seen on all Australian media outlets as well as on the BBC, CNN and Times of India.   

Tarang calls Melbourne home, where he lives with his stubborn bulldog Habibi and spends his spare time obsessing over tie knots, polishing shoes and rating the men’s outfits at The Oscars.  

About Mitch Nivalis:

Mitch Nivalis (they/them) founded their production company MDP Photography and Video in 2006. Through photography and video, they advocate for change and tell stories across creative industries, First nations, LGBTIQ, multicultural and disability communities, as well as mental health and the prevention of violence against women and children.

In 2023, Mitch released their first feature documentary film Equal the Contest, which was selected for 8 film festivals in Australia and Internationally and won several awards, including the Positive Media Award at the Australian Pride in Sport awards. The film is creating ongoing impact for gender equality in sport, with over 35 public screenings in the last 12 months, and Mitch is now developing a workshop based on a shortened version of the film to take into sports clubs in 2025 along with a touring exhibition of players portraits and stories and a published photobook.

In addition to creative work, Mitch is also a speaker and consultant, with a focus on diversity and inclusion.

Outside of work, Mitch volunteers as a CFA firefighter; is part of a team who brings footy workshops to women caught up in the criminal justice system at Tarrengower Prison; and co-hosts On the Wing, a community radio show telling stories of underrepresented sports and sportspeople.

About Mark Hands:

Mark Hands started working with the Bendigo Library at age 4, when he borrowed his first books from the children’s section. Since then, public libraries and librarians have never stopped looking after him and now he’s privileged to lead and be supported by the team of 100 staff at Goldfields Libraries in Central Victoria. Public libraries have equality and inclusion as a core value and Mark has a particular interest in how libraries can tell a story that challenges gender stereotypes and addresses generational attitudinal shifts in views on socially imposed gender constraints and expectations.