2008 Castan Centre Intern

Meredith Kennedy, International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific, Kuala Lumpur

Report

International Women’s Rights Action Watch - Asia Pacific (IWRAW) was established to empower women to achieve substantive equality. The Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is at the centre of IWRAW’s work; IWRAW encourages women’s rights activists to use this UN treaty to lobby their governments to improve women’s human rights. One of the aspects that I found unique and admirable about IWRAW was its focus on motivating women to take up the challenge of gender inequality and its determination to give them the capability to shape their own future. I began my internship at a particularly turbulent time in Malaysian politics and I quickly saw how important IWRAW’s role was in assisting domestic NGOs to disseminate this information on an international level. It encouraged domestic women right’s activists to turn domestic instances of discrimination into a powerful foundation for international advocacy.

One of the great features of my internship at IWRAW was meeting a broad range of women’s rights activists. Although IWRAW is an international organisation, it has strong ties with regional NGOs, especially those in Malaysia. This network gave me an even broader experience as it gave me access to the many different perspectives on how to overcome inequality. Moreover, it gave me the chance to learn more about domestic issues in Malaysia, especially the impact of the Islamic justice system on women. I had the opportunity to witness the handing down of the landmark Subashini case at the Federal Court of Malaysia and then to further explore the ramifications of this case for Malaysian women and families. The situation for women in Malaysia is particularly complex due to the nation’s multicultural and multi-religious make up. The separation of civil and Islamic legal jurisdictions is generally to the disadvantage of Malaysian women. They are caught between a conservation interpretation of Islam by religious authorities and courts on the one hand, and a government which is unwilling to compromise the hegemony of the Islamic community by allowing Muslim women access to civil courts on the other.

During my time at IWRAW one of the projects I focused on was the creation of a Lawyers Training Manual. The aim of the manual was to give lawyers the tools to integrate CEDAW into their domestic cases. My work included outlining the role of international law in gaining progressive interpretations of statutes and case law. Specifically I presented and analysed several cases which were instrumental in bringing international legal norms into the domestic law of nation states, as well as highlighting ways in which international law arguments could be introduced to improve the quality of legal pleadings. 

I was also able to work on a research paper addressing Australia’s compliance with its obligations under CEDAW following the introduction of the Family Law Reform Act 2006. This experience gave me a much deeper understanding of Australia’s family law and the specific challenges which Australia needs to overcome in order to achieve its goal of gender equality.

Interwoven in Malaysia’s history is their experience with colonizing powers such as the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British. One of the highlights of my trip was going on a week-end holiday with the office to Malacca which was, at different points, a naval port for all three colonizers. Here we experienced unique Nonya cuisine and great shopping at the Night Market. I also had the opportunity to travel to Penang which had more amazing colonial architecture, and to Langkawi, the largest of an archipelago of islands. Malaysia’s rapid economic development has made both road and air travel easy, efficient and inexpensive, which is a powerful incentive to get to know areas apart from KL. Another great feature of Malaysia was the presence of a large south Indian minority which not only contributes fantastic food and culture but also enriches Malaysia’s activist and academic scene. Several Hindu groups are at the forefront of human rights activism and are holding the Malaysian Government to account for its human rights abuses. These dynamic attributes of Malaysian society make it a fascinating place to live, while the growing agitation for human rights and recognition of their importance make it a rewarding place to work.

Profile

Meredith is currently enrolled in an Arts/Law degree and has taken an active interest in human rights throughout her studies and volunteer work. She is passionate about improving women’s rights and in particular, women’s equality before the law.

Throughout 2006, Meredith has been a legal volunteer at the Women’s Legal Service Victoria. This role has developed her appreciation for the difficulties faced by many women who deal with the legal system. It has also given her a chance to work with experienced solicitors and law reform advocates, furthering her understanding of the complexities of family and criminal law. 

Meredith has undertaken a student exchange in Belgium which ignited an interest in languages and travel. When she returned from her exchange she consolidated her language skills through her studies, obtaining a minor in French. Meredith majored in History, focusing particularly on how major events impacted on and affected gender relations.   

Meredith is a member of Liberty Victoria and is extremely interested in government policy relating to asylum seekers. She hopes to pursue a career in human rights law and law reform and feels that her work with the Women’s Rights Action Watch-Asia Pacific will provide her with an excellent experience in practical  human rights work.


International Women's Rights Action Watch - Asia Pacific, Kuala Lumpur