What is the true picture of gender based violence across the Commonwealth? Where can we gain the most momentum for change and where are the legal and cultural solutions to the issue of gender based violence. Natasha Stott Despoja founding chair of Our Watch Australia, former politician and former Australian UN Ambassador for women and girls will lead this conversation around government and community led approaches to changing the story for our daughters and sons. 

Participants will include from Sri Lanka activist Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala, from Queensland community activist and campaigner Yasmin Khan and from Guyana/UK author and activist Luke Daniels whose new book Defeating Domestic Violence in the Americas — Men’s Work challenges men to take more responsibility for ending the violence. 

Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala is participating in WOW through support from the British Council.

Women everywhere are using their creativity and business skills to build social enterprises that deliver more than a financial return. Others are investing their own dollars in those women making that change. Be inspired by the stories and projects from across the Commonwealth facilitated by Australian entrepreneur and Board Member of Good Shepherd Microfinance Michelle Redfern and including an award winning panel — Winnifred Selby Co-Founder of the Ghana Bamboo Bikes Initiative, Gulalai Ismail, Chairperson of AWARE Girls in Pakistan and from Queensland founders of Femeconomy Alanna Bastin Byrne and Jade Collins.

It is defined as ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people’. But look at any democratically elected parliament, and what you see is — middle aged, middle class men. What can we do to make our system of government both more representative of, and more accountable to, the 52% majority in all its diversity. WOW Founder Jude Kelly leads an international panel, including those elected to represent us, to discuss. Speakers will include from Australia Co-Chair of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples Dr Jackie Huggins AM, from Malaysia women’s rights campaigner Zainah Anwar, British High Commissioner to Australia Her Excellency Menna Rawlings CMG, from Canada Senator Kim Pate, and Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships the Honourable Jackie Trad MP.

Senator Pate’s participation has been supported by the Government of Canada. 

From short hair to Afro hair, from grey hair to no hair, from body hair to ‘Brazilian’, loose, plaited or covered — what is it with hair and why does it matter so much? We hear from women who are redefining age-old stereotypes about how hair is related to femininity and womanhood. Expect laughter, personal stories and questions of identity — and a chance to join in the discussion with Domino Pateman WOW Head of Programmes in London, from Brisbane via Botswana Director of Psyched Solutions  Sharon Orapeleng, leading Australian writer Michelle Law and performer, educator and psychotherapist for artists Margi Brown Ash.