About Us

Our Vision, Our Purpose, and the Vounteers & Members that make it happen.

Our Vision

is a world in which gender equality, and the contributions and rights of diverse women and girls, are at the forefront of transforming conflict to build peace.

OUR PURPOSE

RESHAPING PEACE AND SECURITY

REDEFINING SECURITY FOR ALL

BUILDING COLLECTIVE POWER

VOLUNTEERS

Melissa Monteiro

Community Migrant Resource Centre

Melissa Monteiro, is the CEO of the Community Migrant Resource Centre (NSW) with over twenty five years’ experience in the community sector. Melissa is passionate about resettlement and social justice issues and her areas of expertise include building the capacity of small and emerging communities, leadership skills development, women, & youth mentoring.

Michelle Higelin

ActionAid Australia

Michelle Higelin is the Executive Director of ActionAid Australia. She has more than two and half decades of experience working to advance women’s rights in Australia and internationally, including as the former Deputy General Secretary of one of the largest women’s rights movement globally, the World YWCA. Michelle has served on global advisory groups to the United Nations Population Fund and the World Food Programme, and chaired the NGO Working Group on Peace at the United Nations in Geneva. She currently serves on the Board of the Australian Council for International Development and is a Co-Chair of the Australian Civil Society Coalition on Women, Peace and Security.

Sarah Davies

Griffith and Monash Universities

Sara Davies is a Professor at School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University, Australia; Adjunct Professor at the Gender Peace and Security Centre, School of Social Sciences, Monash University; Adjunct Professor at the Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology; and a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia. Sara is an International Relations (IR) scholar with a specific focus on Global Health Governance and the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Sara’s research is devoted to identifying the political conditions that deny humans access to civil, economic and social human rights. Her research has focused on situations where humans face immense vulnerability, including disease outbreaks events, gender-based and sexual violence in conflict, and forced displacement.

Linh Nong Dieu

International Women's Development Agency (IWDA)

Linh Nong Dieu is an international development professional with experience in the non-governmental, not-for-profit sector in Southeast Asia, the United States, and Australia. Linh offers in-depth knowledge in historical, social, and political contexts of Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. She is passionate in post-colonial feminism and women, peace and security in the Global South and an advocate for the decolonisation approach to development and peacebuilding initiatives. She was previously Rotary Peace Fellow at The University of Queensland, and is currently Program Manager of the Myanmar portfolio at IWDA.

Behishta Anwar

Australian Refugee Association

Behishta Anwar is the President of Afghan Women Federation of SA. She is a passionate advocate for Afghan women and newcomers to Australia. Drawing from her personal experiences living under the Taliban in Afghanistan and adapting to a new country, Behishta is deeply committed to promoting girls’ education and amplifying the voices of those facing challenges in Australia. As a Community Development Officer at the Australian Refugee Association Inc., she utilizes her expertise to uplift and empower communities. She has recently graduated from the Governor’s Leadership Foundation Program with Leader’s institute of South Australia. In her spare time, Behishta actively volunteers in various community projects and events, while also serving as an executive member of MOSAIC Adelaide.

Ludmilla Kwitko

Women’s International League of Peace and Freedom

Dr Ludmilla Kwitko (ACT) is Associate Professor (Honorary) at the Gender Institute, College of Asia and the Pacific, at the Australian National University, and Asia-Pacific Regional Representative on the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) International Board. She has extensive experience working as a practitioner, policy analyst and researcher in advancing the women, peace and security agenda with domestic and international partners, including previously as Gender and Community Development Adviser to AusAID; on the first NATO Civil Society Advisory Panel on WPS; and as WPS Coalition civil society representative to the Australian Government’s Inter-Departmental Committee on the First National Action Plan on WPS. Ludmilla serves as Co-Chair on the Steering Committee of the Australian Civil Society Coalition on WPS. She has a PhD in Sociology and Masters Degrees in Urban-Regional Planning and Sociology.

Mitra Khakbaz

Gladstone Women's Health Centre

Mitra Khakbaz is a seasoned advocate for positive social change, with over two decades of experience in senior non-profit roles. Specializing in humanitarian and development initiatives, particularly in the Asia Pacific region, Mitra has spearheaded numerous impactful projects. She currently serves as CEO of Gladstone Women’s Health Centre and is actively involved in boards like 100Women, driving inclusivity and social justice. With a diverse educational background and ongoing pursuit of a Master of Business Administration, Mitra is dedicated to leading sustainable global change.