Public Lecture: Balancing the scales of gender equality

Globally, 3.9 billion women and girls face laws that limit their economic and legal rights, 1 in 3 experience physical or sexual violence, and women hold fewer than 40% of judicial positions worldwide.

In Australia, justice is still out of reach for many: sexual assault conviction rates sit at just 7%, and First Nations women are 34 times more likely to be hospitalised due to family violence.

Together, we can challenge these barriers, champion the leadership of First Nations and Pacific women, and create a fairer, safer world.

Join QUT Business School and UN Women Australia to hear from our panel of changemakers, legal experts, and advocates driving real impact and be part of the movement for gender justice.

Meet the panel:

Professor Rowena McGuire, Director, QUT Centre for Justice
Speaking on climate impacts on women and girls
Professor Rowena Maguire is from the School of Law and is Director of the Centre for Justice at the Queensland University of Technology.  Rowena’s research interests, publications and projects focus on climate and environmental regulation informed by feminist and regulatory theory.  Rowena is currently working on two research programs: one stream focuses on climate and disaster governance and examines the structural injustices arising from climate change.  She is currently editing the first handbook on Feminist Approaches to Environmental Law which has over 42 contributors and 30 chapters with authors from around the globe.  The second programme of work focuses on the social and environmental issues associated with the fashion industry with projects funded by the Cotton Research Development Corporation, Australian Retailers Association, Australian Fashion Council and the United Nations Environment Program.  Rowena coordinates and teaches Environmental law and supervisors higher degree research students working on projects on climate and disaster governance, circular economy, and feminist/critical approaches to environmental governance.     

Candice Hughes, Solicitor, YFS Legal
Speaking on justice for First Nations women and girls

Candice Hughes is a proud Kamilaroi woman, mother and wife. She is the Principal Solicitor at YFS Legal, practising in Youth Justice.  Candice has worked in community legal centres for 11 years and also served as a sworn and unsworn member of the Queensland Police Service. Candice is passionate about improving access to justice for vulnerable people, particularly supporting and advocating for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the justice system. 

Eleanor Dickens, Partner, Clayton Utz
Speaking on accessing justice rooted in discriminatory laws and social stigma
Eleanor's extensive experience in public and administrative law, coupled with her notable focus on information law, integrity, and accountability, makes Eleanor a recognised specialist in Administrative, Information and Public Law. She is also frequently called on to assist private sector clients with complex privacy and data breach matters, particularly where regulatory scrutiny, reputational exposure or cross-sector data sharing are involved.

Anna White, Partner, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Speaking on climate impacts on women and girls
Anna is widely regarded as a specialist in environment and planning law, with a broad practice spanning environmental regulatory compliance, environmental governance, contamination response and management, environmental prosecutions, environmental impact assessment and climate reporting. She also advises on strategic and statutory planning matters, approval pathways and planning appeals.

Simone Clarke, CEO, UN Women Australia
Moderating the discussion
Simone has 20-25 years experience in the corporate and “for-purpose” sector in sustainability, international development, public-private partnerships, global campaigns and advocacy, working for a range of international corporations, non-government organisations, United Nations agencies and not-for-profits in Australia, the US and Asia Pacific.

Simone has global experience in sustainable development, cross sector collaboration, partnerships, resource mobilisation, and digital transformation with UNICEF, Save the Children, Mission Australia, The Australian Football League, and Telstra Corporation, among others.

Currently based in Sydney Australia as Chief Executive Officer of UN Women Australia, Simone is focused on driving systemic change to accelerate gender equality and achieve SDG 5.

This is an in-person event only. Networking and light refreshments will follow the discussion.