Civil society has always played an important role in shaping public policy, holding governments to account, and promoting democracy, peace and good governance. But recently, there’s been growing concern that civic space is shrinking; charities are feeling the pressure to stay quiet for fear of repercussions including losing access to much needed funding.

In these uncertain times, it’s important to reflect on the role and importance of civil society in upholding democracy and acknowledge the elephant in the room when it comes to some of the issues confronting civil society actors.

Join us for an engaging panel discussion with our diverse group of sector leaders who will discuss:

Their perspectives on the state of democracy in Australia
The role of a vibrant civil society in upholding democracy
The challenges civil society organisations face in these uncertain times
How organisations might continue to advocate for change
The best way to strengthen the capacity of civil society to face the challenges of the future

Meet the experts:

Phoebe Mwanza (moderator), Hueman Equity Consulting
Mark Evans, Museum of Australian Democracy
Maha Abdo OAM, Muslim Women Australia
Harriet McCallum, Manifera

What can I expect to gain from the panel discussion?

This event promises to be an engaging discussion with a diverse group of passionate sector leaders on the state of our democracy and the right of civil society to exist, deliver services, empower citizens and hold the government to account. We hope this panel will spark many future discussions amongst the social sector both formally and informally.

Who should attend this panel discussion?

Anyone working in the community or private sector with an interest in how to build a strong and effective civil society in Australia.

Meet your moderator:

Phoebe Mwanza, Director, Hueman Equity Consulting

Phoebe is the Director of Hueman Equity Consulting and the Manager of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing at Amnesty International Australia. Prior to this, she was a lawyer with a

specific focus on anti-discrimination and human rights law. She has worked in both the public and private sectors including at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, Attorney General’s Department and Ernst and Young. She was appointed as a member of the Qld Parliament Human Rights Expert Advisory Panel for and Vic Multicultural Commission’s Regional Advisory Council

Meet the panellists:

Professor Mark Evans, Director, Democracy 2025 – Strengthening Democratic Practice, Museum of Australian Democracy

Mark was appointed the foundation Director of Democracy 2025 at MoAD in October 2018. He was previously Director and Professor of Governance at the Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis at the University of Canberra and has held senior roles at numerous universities in Australia and the UK. He was also the Australia New Zealand School of Government’s (ANZSOG) Professor of Governance from 2009-14. His latest books include Evidence based Policymaking and the Social Sciences – Methods that Matter (Policy Press, 2017), From Turnbull to Morrison: Trust Divide (Melbourne University Press, 2019) and Saving Democracy (Bloomsbury, 2021). He has been senior editor of the international journal Policy Studies since 2004 and is an IPAA National Fellow. He was appointed co-editor of the Democratic Audit of Australia in January 2021.

Maha Abdo OAM, Chief Executive, Muslim Women Australia

Maha is a passionate advocate for social justice and is currently the chief executive of Muslim Women Australia (MWA). She advises government on policy, services and strategies to create a harmonious community for Muslim and non-Muslim women. In 2015 Maha was a finalist for the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Human Rights Medal, and in 2014 she was the NSW Human Rights Ambassador for 2014-15.

Harriet McCallum, Executive Officer, Mannifera

Harriet is currently the executive officer of Mannifera, a new Australian philanthropic collective committed to working in partnership with civil society to build public trust, transparency and fairness in democracy, and create a more inclusive economy. Prior to joining Mannifera, Harriet held numerous roles with Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation.

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