Feminist Law-Making: The what, why and how of gender-responsive legislation

Feminist activists have long been concerned with women’s place in the law. For some, the male-centric nature of the law and legal systems calls upon feminists to walk away. Yet, for others, there remains much promise in the law for the advancement of the rights of women and those experiencing gender-based harm. In turn, scholars have sought to offer the tools to re-write
legislation with women in mind through ‘feminist legislation’ projects. Experts in the passage of legislation have sought to instill a stronger mindset around the need to provide a solid gender audit before a bill is passed. Others demand a broadening of our lens when defining what constitutes ‘good laws’ for women and other groups excluded from the law’s protection on the basis of
gendered norms. This panel will bring together those tools and recommendations to delve deeper into the question of what makes laws good for women and how do we know.

The UTS International Law Research Cluster and Feminist Legal Research Groups warmly invite you a discussion to reinvigorate the call for gender responsive legislation and to offer the evidence for what difference gender-responsive laws can make and how we can enact them. The panel will cover laws written specifically for women, as well as the role of women’s needs and interests in legislation often considered gender-neutral and for which we too rarely demand a gender perspective.

Panelists:
- Does gender-responsive legislation make a difference on women’s lives: What do we know and where are the gaps? Ramona Vijeyarasa, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Technology

- Drafting Feminist Legislation: Can We Make Laws Good – or at least Gooder– for Women? Becky Batagol, Associate Professor, Monash University

-Can we assess how good law is before it is passed? The possibility of gender auditing by parliamentary committees. Jacqueline Mowbray, Associate Professor, University of Sydney Law School

-The writing of a gender equality law: Experiences from Victoria. Niki Vincent, Gender Equality Commissioner Victoria

Chair: 
Karen O’Connell,  Associate Professor, UTS

Please note - logon is at 11:45am for a 12pm start.

An event organised by the UTS Faculty of Law. Sponsored by the UTS Feminist Legal Research Group with support from the International Law Research Cluster and Law and Society Association of Australia and New Zealand.

Please consider joining the Law & Society of Australia and New Zealand here.