This project aims to examine and document the processes, challenges and enabling conditions for academic-activist partnerships for the advancement of gender justice, human rights and climate justice. Building on the intersectional frameworks and methodologies developed by Pacific movements co-led by DIVA for Equality, it will bring together diverse academic and activist perspectives and practices in concretely identifying areas of policy response, reform and influence. Key outcomes include the strengthening of the university as a space for alliance-building, and co-organising side events at Women Deliver and COP31 in 2026 to amplify the labour and voices of Pacific feminist and women-led movements.

This research translates to the enhancement of gender justice in three main ways. First, it directly represents activist-academic alliance with Pacific women’s movements’ campaign to raise awareness on the interlinking of gender justice with climate justice in two global conferences hosted in Australia and the Pacific region. Second, the collaboration will produce co-authored short ‘guidebooks’ and a ‘Feminist Roadmap’ which will serve as reference texts for activist-academic partnerships wanting to influence policy domestically and regionally. These publications will be widely shared. Third, it embodies the valuing of multiple knowledge systems including through the integration of social sciences with STEM fields.

Project Team

ANU researchers: Dr Maria Tanyag (project lead) - Professor Bina D’Costa - Romitesh Kant - Associate Professor Jeremy Smith - Associate Professor Bernard Baffour - Professor Esperanza Martinez
 

External Collaborators

Michael Fabinyi (University of Technology Sydney) - Noelene Nabulivou (DIVA for Equality Fiji) - Viva Tatawaqa (DIVA for Equality Fiji) 

This project was officially launched on 16 April 2026, details here.