Jacky Sutton was a Gender Institute member writing a PhD in the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies about women working for media in Afghanistan and Iraq. She was herself also working with an NGO supporting local media in areas affected by conflict as acting director of IWPR in Iraq. On Oct 18th she was found dead at Istanbul airport where she was in transit on her way to Iraq. The troubling circumstances of her death are described in this report.

Jacky was an outstanding contributor to the Gender Institute, and as Communications Director for the Australian Committee for UN Women, was on the steering committee of  the Annual Civil Dialogue on Women, Peace and Security last year. She was a really marvellous and brave woman, doing work she knew was dangerous but that she was deeply committed to. Her loss is felt greatly and she will be deeply missed.