No bystanders – Women’s economic empowerment, peace and security issues. 5pm Thursday 17th March NZDT (3/17/22 12:00AM EST)

No bystanders – Women’s economic empowerment, peace and security issues.

5pm Thursday 17th March NZDT (3/17/22 12:00AM EST)

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the NGO CSW66 (Commission on the Status of Women), New York.

Event no #12399

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/no-bystanders-womens-economic-empowerment-peace-and-security-issues-tickets-264979991287

Host - UNA NZ

Panelists: Dr Negar Partow, Caroline Herewini MNZM, Professor Tagaloatele Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop CNZM, Dr Gill Greer CBE, MNZM, Associate Professor Fiona Te Momo, Tara Singh, Seraya Amirthalingam, Kate Hellings and Joy Dunsheath JP.

As the world continues to grapple with the effects of climate change and COVID-19 it is imperative to ask an important, but simple question- what would the world look like if women had the same access to leadership, decision-making, and opportunities as men? The answer is clear- it would be a society which ensured that no one person is left behind. As women grapple with being the hardest hit group economically because of COVID-19 and women and children are also the most vulnerable groups susceptible to the effects of climate change- it is imperative they are included in the solution. This event will highlight the challenges that are still in place for women to be active participants at the public and corporate leadership levels; but also provides a unique perspective for the future of women’s leadership and participation to address these challenges in the future. Whilst there is still work that needs to be done, New Zealand’s youth have shown they are prepared to fight for a more equitable and sustainable future, not just in New Zealand, but in the wider Pacific region.

Panelists bios:

Dr Negar Partow

Dr Negar Partow is a senior lecturer in the Centre for Defence and Security Studies in Massey university, New Zealand. Negar’s area of expertise is human rights and human security, political philosophy, International security as well as modern political thoughts in Islam. She teaches a wide range of theoretical courses on security and holds workshops for New Zealand government officials on ethics of leadership, interculturalism and human security. She also works with diverse civil society groups on issues related to human rights and is a regular media commentator on the Middle East security environment. She received her Masters ’degrees from Iran and New Zealand and completed her PhD in Victoria University of Wellington.

Caroline Herewini MNZM

Ms Caroline Herewini MNZM is involved with Women’s Refuge New Zealand. Caroline is the Kaiwhakahaere and driving force of Te Whare Tiaki Waahine Refuge Charitable Trust for 25 years, its foundations underpinned by Te Tiriti o Waitangi. From her office in Porirua, she remains committed to train social workers, counsellors and fields emergency calls, keeping women and children safe. As a human rights advocate, Caroline is committed to ending all forms of violence against women and children. Caroline is a founding member of the Everywoman Treaty Global Coalition, The International Network to End Violence Against Women and Girls and Breaking Silent Codes- a movement of indigenous women advocating to stop violence against women and children throughout Australia, the Pacific and Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Professor Tagaloatele Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop CNZM

Professor Tagaloatele Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop CNZM is Emeritus Professor of Pacific Studies at AUT. She carried out Research, training and advocacy in New Zealand and Pacific small nation states with the aim of ensuring the voices of women, youth and community are heard and engaged in building sustainable futures for all. Social Adviser at the UNESCO Pacific regional office. Samoan, mother of five daughters. UNESCO Board Member.

Tara Singh

Tara Singh, President UN Women Aotearoa New Zealand. Tara’s philanthropic work and leadership has positioned her as a public advocate for women and girl child issues, clean energy/sustainability in business and environmental conservation, and animal welfare and rights. As a repeat delegate to the White House and United Nations, the essence of Tara’s professional life’s mission is to support women and youth and to empower our next generation of global leaders. Working with the support of the United Nations, Tara is a regular forum and session participant, serving on working groups and committees including the UN’s Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development’s (IANYD) Youth and Gender Equality and UN Women’s Business and Philanthropy Leaders’ Forum.

Dr Gill Greer CBE, MNZM.

Dr Gill Greer CBE, MNZM. Dr Greer’s roles include Co-editor of ’The People’s Report’ on New Zealand’s implementation of the SDGs, a Board member of Evofem Biotech, San Diego -a Nasdaq listed company working in women’s health, Rare Disorders NZ, Amnesty International Aotearoa NZ ,Transparency International NZ and the International Development committee of Family Planning NSW. She recently co-led a review of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), which she led as Director General. Other roles include CE of New Zealand Family Planning, Volunteer Service Abroad NZ, the National Council of Women, and Rare Disorders NZ, and Asst.Vice Chancellor (Equity) at VUW. A leader of national and international coalitions, she has wide experience in governance and advisory roles, including with governments. Much of her work has been with community groups here and internationally, seeking to amplify the voices of the most vulnerable, and in particular women, girls, young people, LGBTQI+ and the disabled, to ensure all people have the opportunity to realise their full potential. This has involved service delivery and shared advocacy with the UN, governments, parliamentarians, communities, and volunteers, bringing cross-sectoral coalitions together to achieve positive change. Originally a teacher, she has written two books on Katherine Mansfield, researched an award-winning documentary, “A Portrait of Katherine Mansfield” and co-written a book on Robin Hyde. Dr Greer received a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to international health and women’s rights in 2012, she was also awarded an MNZM for her contribution to Family Planning and New Zealand Literature. In December 2019 she was awarded an honorary doctorate by Victoria University of Wellington.

Seraya Amirthalingam

Seraya Amirthalingam is finishing her Bachelor's degree in international relations with minors in environmental studies and economics at Harvard University. Her courses have focused on Women, Peace and Security, intelligence and international security, human rights and migration, sustainable infrastructure, environmental economics, and international law of the sea. Seraya was a three-time UN delegate attending UN Women Commission on the Status of Women, a UNA USA Ohio chapter member.

Associate Professor Fiona Te Momo

Associate Professor Te Momo lectures in the School of Māori Knowledge (Te Putahia-Toi) at Massey University (Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa) in Auckland on the Albany campus. She is the Regional Director in Auckland for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and a Registered Social Work who descends from the tribes Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Porou, and Ngāti Konohi. Her discipline is Development Studies and for decades she has focused researched in Māori Development that embodies Māori Economic Development, Māori Political Development, and Māori Social Development. These areas of research expertise cover Community Development, Cultural Knowledge, Indigenous Development, Iwi Resource Management, Māori Land, Māori Perspectives of Biotechnology, Māori Social Science Practice, Māori Student Recruitment and Retention, Māori Social Work, Māori Voluntary Work, Social Justice, and Whānau Development. In 2021 she presented discussions nationally and internationally on topics such as ‘does Māori academic freedom exist’, Turangawaewae: implementing the Treaty of Waitangi in UN Documentation ’and ‘Indigenous healing: talking historical trauma through Māori development ’and published articles on indigenizing the curriculum in countries like New Zealand and Canada and the indigenous experience teaching during lockdown in Covid19 including citizenship for Māori. She supports the advancement of mātauranga Māori in universities.

Kate Hellings

Kate Hellings is a Freyberg Scholar studying a Masters of Politics addressing National Security at the University of Otago for 2021-2022. Kate’s interests lie in National Security, Women’s Empowerment and New Zealand Foreign policy. Kate has interned for the US State Department in New Zealand for two years (including this year). Kate is President of the Politics Students Association for 2021 and led a summit on Gender Empowerment with the Foreign Policy Group of Sultan Qaboos University in Oman. Kate previously completed a conjoint degree in Law and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Politics. Kate won the “Be British High Commissioner for the Day” in 2020 for addressing women’s empowerment, and attended the 65th Conference on the Commission on the Status of Women with the United Nations New Zealand Association. In her conjoint degree, Kate completed a research paper under the Law faculty concerninghow the interpretation of defences by the New Zealand courts disenfranchises indigenous women who offend as a result of intimate partner violence. She also completed a research paper under the Politics department comparing the right to vote between the United States and New Zealand.

Joy Dunsheath

Joy Dunsheath is a former National President and Honorary Life Member of UNA NZ. She is an elected member of the Executive Committee of UN Associations (WFUNA) based in New York and Geneva. Her objective is to promote the SDGs and the three pillars of the United Nations – human rights, peace and security, and development. She works locally and internationally and has completed a range of roles where these UN objectives intersect. She is a graduate of VUW and has been a teacher. Joy is a Justice of the Peace.