01- 10 - 2021
Join us for this week's roundup of inspiring Scholar news...
A ground-breaking model for creating better public policy
Dr Vafa Ghazavi, 2017 Commonwealth Bank John Monash Scholar, has been appointed the inaugural Executive Director for Research and Policy at the James Martin Institute for Public Policy. Established by the NSW Government in partnership with a group of universities, the Institute is an independent organisation that aims to transform how public policy is made in NSW and beyond. As a key member of the leadership team, Vafa will direct the Institute’s research and policy ventures, helping build its ground-breaking partnership model by bringing together academics, policymakers, and community stakeholders to address complex policy challenges and to create public value. Jillian Kilby, 2013 BHP John Monash Scholar, is on the Institute’s board and highlights the breadth of reach our Scholars are beginning to build.
Featured Podcast – Dr Sarah Bourke
Dr Sarah Bourke, 2013 BHP John Monash Scholar has noticed a small, but promising shift in the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, leading to a stronger voice in Australia's Government in recent years. Sarah recently completed a PhD in Anthropology at University of Oxford, specialising in Indigenous health and wellbeing. She has immersed herself in the cultural determinants of health that influence mental and physical wellbeing for Indigenous people. In this episode of The Scholar’s Podcast, Sarah discusses how the connection between Indigenous communities, the people and their relationship with the land plays an integral part in the health and wellbeing of our First Nations people. Sarah is currently based in North Wales and plans to return to Australia this November.
Natural disasters impact men and women differently
Girls and women are more likely to die, and more likely to experience forced marriage, sexual violence and poverty following a natural disaster, writes Emily Ragus, 2021 Judith Neilson Foundation John Monash Scholar 'Cross Sectoral'. Emily's article in Women’s Agenda this week shares her deep insights and knowledge on how women in low and middle-income countries are struggling to obtain basic resources and are further disadvantaged through the impacts of climate change. The 2011 Christchurch earthquake is one example of this eye-opening disparity as well as in Bangladesh, where 90% of the 140,000 victims who died after the 1991 cyclone were women.
Help reskill the unemployed
CPA’s In The Black magazine has published an article on how to prevent a K-shaped economic recovery. They have included the insights of May Samali, 2014 NSW Premier’s John Monash Scholar in the story, which highlights that some billionaires have tripled their wealth through the COVID-19 Pandemic, while other people’s worlds have been falling apart. May provides a two-step approach that involves governments retraining unskilled people, so they will be employable and can step into the jobs of the future. May provides a valuable reminder that people do not start on the same footing in life and therefore rolling something out across the board will not work.
Global Citizen Live generates $1.1 billion to fight poverty
CEO of Global Citizen and 2008 John Monash Scholar Hugh Evans, has spoken up about COVID-19 erasing decades of gains, resulting in 150 million more people in extreme poverty this year and 41 million people in Africa facing starvation. Last Saturday, the 25th of September, the US, Irish and Croatian governments, over a dozen global corporations, many businesses and individuals, pledged financial support to Global Citizen Live, the largest rock concert in the world. The event featured music collaborations from high profile talent such as Ed Sheeran, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Coldplay and more. It was broadcast from several locations including Central Park in NYC and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The event raised more than $1.1 billion in pledges to fight extreme poverty.
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