On Friday, March 21, 2025, the Master of Laws Program at the UGM Faculty of Law (MIH FH UGM), in collaboration with Thomas More Law School (TMLS) at Australian Catholic University and the Centre for Law, Gender, and Society at FH UGM (LGS FH UGM), successfully hosted an international guest lecture. The lecture was held under the theme "The Role of NGO and Government Partnerships in Implementing the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in Australia and Indonesia." The event formed part of the International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law course, and served as the opening session of the 6th Legal Public Discussion series an annual program organized by LGS.
Held online via Zoom and streamed live on the FH UGM Knowledge Channel (Kanal Pengetahuan), the guest lecture featured three main speakers. The first was Dr. Sri Wiyanti Eddyono, Head of the MIH Program at UGM and Director of LGS FH UGM. The second was Dr. Perla Guarneros, a lecturer at TMLS. The third was Rena Herdiyani, an activist with Kalyanamitra and the CEDAW Working Group Indonesia. The session was moderated by Dr. Dina Afrianty of TMLS. Dozens of students from the Master of Laws programs at both UGM and Australian Catholic University attended, along with researchers and volunteers from the LGS Centre.
As part of the long-term academic partnership between FH UGM and TMLS, the webinar marked an important step in strengthening research collaboration in the areas of law, gender, and social justice. During the discussion, the speakers highlighted the critical role of civil society organizations (NGOs) in reporting on and monitoring the implementation of CEDAW at the national level, and explored the dynamics of NGO-government relations in driving legal reform and advancing women's rights. A comparison between the Indonesian and Australian contexts also revealed the distinct challenges each country faces in translating international commitments into their respective domestic legal systems.
The topic is highly relevant to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The webinar also generated a number of important outcomes, including the identification of joint research opportunities, plans for collaborative publications, and the strengthening of students' research interests in gender and human rights issues.
With its interdisciplinary approach and multi-stakeholder engagement, the event reinforced the commitment of FH UGM and its international partners to advancing gender justice, strengthening inclusive legal institutions, and expanding the space for cross-border academic collaboration.
Author: Master of Laws Program, Universitas Gadjah Mada
