SHOBHA SHUKLA - CNS
Despite growing backlash against women's rights and feminist movements globally, it gives hope to see that world's largest gathering on gender equality this year - Women Deliver Conference 2026 - was attended by around 6000 people from 189 countries globally. The city that hosts this meet - Narrm or Melbourne in Australia - has an inspiring history of resistance which runs through its lands and waters, carried by generations of First Nations (indigenous) leaders, feminists, and activists who have fought for justice, self-determination, and collective care.
Melbourne also hosts Asia Pacific regional office of Public Services International (PSI) - an over a century old global union federation for workers in public services, including those who work in social services, healthcare, municipal services, central government and public utilities.
Corporatising care is regressive
Rooted in the work PSI does on women's rights and feminist analysis, one of its progressive contributions has been to expose the way in which care has been corporatised. Social protection is so critical for advancing women's rights as well as rights of gender diverse and indigenous peoples, said Kate Lappin, Regional Secretary of Public Services International Asia Pacific.
"We do draw on progressive trade union histories that have shown that the way to achieve change is through trade union power, and quite frankly, through disruption. We have not gained the rights through 'quiet advocacy,' through just 'requesting changes' to law, or even through just deep analysis. It has really been achieved through our capacity to join analysis with action," said Kate Lappin.
Kate was speaking at inaugural session of SHE & Rights Live at Women Deliver Conference in D03 Exhibition Space, co-hosted by Global Center for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion (CeHDI), Women Deliver, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Asia Pacific Media Alliance for Health, Gender and Development Justice (APCAT Media) and CNS.
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