Australia Awards South and West Asia

On 26–27 November, 52 Australia Awards scholars from South Asia, Mongolia, and Timor-Leste attended the 2024 Scholars Forum in Canberra. The forum provided an opportunity for scholars to engage with experts and each other on supporting women’s leadership and achieving gender equality. Through speeches, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and interactive exercises, the scholars explored how they could implement the forum’s theme of “Working Together for a Gender-Equal World” upon returning to their home countries.

Throughout the two days, the scholars honed their communication and leadership skills, taking on roles as speakers, panel facilitators, country convenors, and travel coordinators.

On the first day, scholars convened in Canberra and attended the Australia Awards End of Year Event, networking with scholars from around the world and members of the diplomatic corps. The event featured a speech by Jamie Isbister, Acting Deputy Secretary of the Multilateral and Europe Group at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

He called on the scholars to make a strong contribution to development in their home countries, citing the example of Bangladeshi alumna Nushrat Jahan, Joint Director of the Central Bank of Bangladesh. “Last year, Nushrat used an Australia Awards grant to exercise her leadership beyond the workplace, setting up a ‘Health and Hygiene Corner for Menstrual Hygiene Management and Public Health Protection’ to create health awareness among female students in a regional high school,” he said. “Nushrat believes that her Australia Awards scholarship and experience in Australia directly contributed to her leadership in empowering disadvantaged adolescents to exercise their reproductive rights.

On the second day, the scholars convened at the National Museum of Australia for an all-day workshop, emceed by Nepali scholar Rakshya Risal.

“The Scholars Forum is more than just a gathering; it is a dynamic platform that fosters collaboration, encourages networking, and sparks opportunities for future partnerships,” Rakshya said. “Last year, I had the privilege of attending the Scholars Forum shortly after arriving in Australia and was deeply honoured to be one of the panellists… It was an enriching experience both in sharing my journey and in learning from others.

On behalf of DFAT, Sarah Storey, First Assistant Secretary of the South and Central Asia Division, welcomed the scholars and encouraged them to make the most of the opportunity. Reflecting on the theme of the forum, Sarah said, “Gender equality is a truly global challenge. It is not just an issue that affects women; it is an issue that affects all humanity. It is central to Australia’s interests, your home countries’ interests, and the whole world’s interests. No country can meet its development potential without ensuring all its people have every opportunity to reach their full potential.

Following this, Farwa Abbas, an Australia Awards scholar from Pakistan, delivered the opening speech on behalf of the scholars. “Gender equality is my passion, as gender struggles have shaped my whole life,” Farwa said, reflecting on her experience as a person with a disability, daughter of a single mother, and domestic violence survivor. Despite many challenges, Farwa outlined how she had broken through barriers to receive an Australia Awards Scholarship and was completing her Master of Development.

Australia’s Ambassador for Gender Equality, Stephanie Copus Campbell AM, delivered a video message highlighting the impact of Australia Awards alumni she had met working on gender issues. “Gender equality is really important,” she said. “If we don’t have the representation at the table of 100% of our population, we’re not going to be able to build societies that work for everyone. So, women in leadership and women’s participation are absolutely essential.”

Sri Lankan scholar Sudharma Karunarathna facilitated the first panel on the subject of “the importance of supporting women’s leadership.” The panel featured the following speakers:

• Megan Leahy, First Assistant Secretary, Office for Women, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
• Felicity Volk, Former Australian Ambassador to Nepal
• Asha Clementi, Founder and CEO, Girls Run the World, and
• Troy Roderick, diversity, equality and inclusion specialist and former Champions of Change Pakistan Program Director.

Topics covered included ensuring women have a role in policymaking, advice for women starting grassroots initiatives, and how men can be allies for gender equality. Sudharma summarised the key takeaways from the session as “valuable insights into leadership and collaboration, highlighting how women’s leadership enriches governance, strengthens economies, and promotes inclusive decision-making. Panellists shared practical strategies for fostering leadership, addressing challenges, and supporting women’s self-care.”

The second panel was moderated by Nepali scholar Prakriti Budha Magar, with the following panellists sharing their perspectives on gender equality and intersectionality:

• Afeeya Akhand, researcher, Australian Strategic Policy Institute
• Charlotte Young, Youth Advisory Council, Women with Disabilities Australia
• Banok Rind, Co-lead, Impact & Engagement, Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute for First Nations Gender Justice, and
• Gonto Erdeneburen, LGBTQI rights activist and Australia Awards scholar, Mongolia.

Key themes of the session included the importance of intersectional approaches to policymaking, elevating minority voices in the fight for gender equality, and the key role of allyship. Following the event, Prakriti said, “It was an honour to moderate a panel discussion on ‘Gender Equality and Intersectionality’, reaffirming the importance of centring First Nations Gender Justice and the lived experiences of marginalised communities in our work.” Gonto said, “It was an honour to engage in meaningful discussions on gender equality and intersectionality alongside inspiring activists and to connect with other remarkable scholars.”

The final panel focused on gender in development and was moderated by Bangladeshi scholar Fariba Aurin. It included the following speakers:

• Beth Delaney, Humanitarian Coordinator, DFAT
• Sally Moyle, Honorary Associate Professor, Australian National University
• Dr Annabel Dulhunty, Lecturer at the Crawford School of Public Policy, and
• Matt Spannagle, Director, Climate & Nature, APAC, Palladium.

Key themes of this panel included the critical importance of listening to women’s voices when responding to development challenges, reducing unintended negative consequences, and how Australia’s new Humanitarian Policy incorporates support for gender equality.

Following the panel discussions, scholars participated in an interactive exercise to apply what they had learnt throughout the forum in their Development Impact and Linkages Plans (DILPs). Maldivian scholar Izdhiha Rushdy said, “We reviewed our Development Impact and Linkages Plans (DILPs), reflecting on how we can actively contribute to gender equality in our communities. I left with a stronger, more inclusive plan addressing this critical issue.” Bhutanese scholar Dawa Tamang said, “My takeaway from the session was a paradigm shift in my thought process.”

Maldivian scholars Muna Adam and Ahmed Samah provided the final reflections on behalf of the scholars. “The Scholars Forum has not only shed light on critical issues but also inspired meaningful discussions about achieving a more equitable world,” Muna said.  “The chance to engage in this forum has been both enlightening and inspiring.”

Rhona McPhee, Director of DFAT’s Global Education and Scholarships Section, closed the Forum, encouraging the scholars to remember their learnings throughout the day upon their return to their home countries, and highlighting alumni networks as a tool to increase their impact.

Reflecting on the Forum, Bangladeshi scholar Shamma Labiba Arnab said, “This forum brought together incredible minds from diverse backgrounds, fostering collaboration, dialogue, and innovative solutions to promote gender equality in our societies. I feel inspired and motivated to continue contributing towards a future where opportunities and rights are not limited by gender.”

Sri Lankan scholar Gayathri Kanakaratne summed up the views of participants by saying, “This forum was an incredible platform to engage with thought leaders, policymakers, and changemakers dedicated to advancing gender equity across diverse sectors.