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On 05 December 2023, coinciding with the Assembly of State Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), LAW, UN Women and UN Team of Experts on Rule of Law/ Sexual Violence in Conflict convened a side event in New York, on the possible establishment of a Gender Justice Practitioner Hub (GJP Hub). More than 30 practitioners and international legal experts from around the world attended the discussion.

Participants agreed on the importance of collaboration, networking and the need for a knowledge sharing platform or repository that collates the significant experiences established over decades. Participants outlined how the Hub could be a centralised safe space for feminist thinking and solidarity.

Opening remarks were provided by Ambassador Rebecca Bryant (Deputy permanent representative of Australia to the United Nations in New York), Pramila Patten (Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict) and Paivi Kannisto (UN Women).

On 22 November 2023, LAW chaired the Asia Pacific Gender Justice Practitioner Hub (GJP Hub) Roundtable in Bangkok, the second of six regional events to gather feedback and input on the GJP Hub initiative.

This new initiative explores the establishment of a GJP Hub – a centre mandated to support and connect practitioners involved in securing gender justice for core international crimes. Through collaboration, coordination and by leveraging decades of experience at national and international levels, the GJP Hub would provide practical tools and assistance to practitioners to help strengthen efforts in pursuit of gender justice. The initiative is supported by the Government of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through its commitments to the Women, Peace and Security Agenda.

Australian Assistant Secretary and Principal Specialist Gender Equality, Sarah Goulding, opened the roundtable and highlighted the critical nature of the conversation to bring together gender equality and the women, peace and security agenda. Participants working on a variety of contexts across the Asia Pacific region, including Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand and Sri Lanka, underscored a range of challenges for those working towards gender justice throughout the Asia-Pacific region –and provided ideas and thinking about how a GJP Hub could support their work.

On 1 June 2023, LAW facilitated a roundtable in Beirut, Lebanon, on the Gender Justice Practitioner Hub (GJP Hub) initiative. The roundtable was the first of multiple meetings which will take place around the world to gather feedback, input, criticism on the initiative itself and the wider needs of practitioners. 34 practitioners, including representatives of civil society, academics and survivor groups, and representatives from UN bodies based across the Middle East and North Africa (including Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Libya) attended the discussion. Participants included men, women and those of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity. Welcoming remarks were provided by Ms Claire Murray, Deputy Head of Mission from the Australian Embassy.

Despite initial caution about having the kick-off roundtable about the Hub in the Middle East, the response could not have been more positive. There was concern that difficulties in discussing the issue of gender justice, and even confusion around what gender justice is, that this could be a barrier to the discussion. In some contexts, even talking about gender remains taboo. However, participants emphasised that this made this conversation even more urgent and important.

Participants were resoundingly in favour of the Hub initiative. There was a clear outcry for coordination, training and the development of tools to support the work of those striving for gender justice within the region. There was recognition that, despite operating in a range of different contexts across the MENA region, that many of the obstacles faced were the same and that collaboration and coordination were key to addressing these challenges. Participants underscored the need for a ‘safe space’ for practitioners regularly working for gender justice to come together, discuss common issues and to receive advice from experts and from each other. Throughout the roundtable, participants emphasised that the Hub must bridge the global and the regional. Participants suggested having regional units which could contribute to and be represented in the global strategy/ coordination of a GJP Hub .

Legal Action Worldwide’s Executive Director, Antonia Mulvey, who facilitated the roundtable said: “This was the perfect location to kick-off this discussion! The participants have set out a clear need for an initiative like the Hub to support those working on the front-lines and have provided a clear direction forward.” The next roundtable will take place in Bangkok in Autumn 2023.

About the GJP Hub Initiative: This initiative explores the establishment of a Gender Justice Practitioner Hub – a centre mandated to support and connect practitioners involved in securing gender justice for core international crimes. Through collaboration, coordination and by leveraging decades of experience at national and international levels, the GJP Hub would provide practical tools and assistance to practitioners to help strengthen efforts in pursuit of gender justice. The initiative is supported by the Government of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through its commitments to the Women, Peace and Security Agenda.