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Grounding in women's rights

10 June 2009

Carly Price

Bachelor of Laws student Carly Price has learnt about the importance of grassroots advocacy during a three-month internship with the International Women's Rights Action Watch - Asia Pacific in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

IWRAW Asia Pacific is a non-profit international organisation based in South-East Asia that works nationally, regionally and internationally towards the achievement of women's human rights.

During her internship Carly worked as a rapporteur sharing stories of women from Nepal who are helping to rebuild their entire legal system, and women from Pakistan who are fighting domestic violence in the absence of protective legislation.

She also worked with the organisation's delegation to the United Nations Geneva-based committee on eliminating discrimination against women, liaising with its members and holding a briefing on women in armed conflict.

Carly said she was privileged to participate in the program, meeting people from all levels of the human rights process - from the committee members of UN human rights treaty bodies, to female lawyers of Southern Asia, to women advocating for the advancement of women's rights in their home countries.

"Being able to act as rapporteur for my host organisation was very rewarding enabling me to identify some of the practical and political constraints that impact on the course of justice for women in these countries," she said.

"I was inspired by the women who risked persecution to attend the session at the United Nations and those who came with little prior knowledge to tell their stories."

Carly's internship was coordinated through the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law.

"This internship was a truly unique experience and highlights the absolute commitment of Monash to the learning and personal development of its students," Carly said.

"I will be forever grateful for having had this opportunity."