The Global Institute for Women's Leadership

GIWL (pronounced 'jewel') was founded by former Prime Minister Julia Gillard with a simple mission – to bring together research, practice and advocacy into a powerful force for change towards gender equality.

Based at ANU and led by renowned gender equality expert and co-author of the 'glass cliff' theory, Professor Michelle Ryan, we are a multi-disciplinary research institute with world-leading expertise on workplace gender equality and leadership.

We believe that advancing gender equality requires a whole-of-society approach and work across government, non-profits, academia and corporations connecting those looking to advance change in their fields with the evidence on what actually works. By working to implement change where it matters most, we aim to eradicate the root causes of systemic gender inequality and create safe, fair and equitable cultures where all people thrive.

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What we do

When it comes to gender equality, we take a three-pronged approach at the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership...

Research

Creating an evidence base by undertaking cutting-edge research and drawing together existing best practice findings from around the world.

Learn more about our world-leading research.

Practice

Translating this research into evidence-based, solutions-focused policy, practice and training.

Find out more about how you can work with us to advance equality in your area.

Advocacy

We work with communities, academics, experts and policymakers from across countries and sectors to advocate for lasting change towards gender equality.

Explore how we have shaped policy and advanced equality in Australia and beyond.

Careers

Join our team and help us deliver high-impact, high-profile research and advocacy on gender equality! We're currently recruiting for a Research Fellow and a number of Research Assistant positions.

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Does competitive work culture fuel impostor syndrome?

New report by GIWL Director Professor Michelle Ryan and a global research team finds that impostor syndrome isn't an individual issue, it's fuelled by workplace cultures that pit people against each other – and it disproportionately impacts women and minoritised groups

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Labor women make history by overtaking men in cabinet. So is the job done?

Albanese’s new cabinet is certainly a win for women’s representation. But the job isn’t done, writes Elise Stephenson, Australian National University and Blair Williams, Monash University in this article republished from The Conversation.

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How do you describe your identity in different situations?

Every time we describe different aspects of our identity, we make choices about what to share when, and what language to use. This research is all about understanding how we choose those words and why – helping us all be treated fairly, no matter where we are.

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Julia Gillard in conversation with Leigh Sales: A Podcast of One's Own Live!

Earlier this month, Leigh Sales joined Julia Gillard on stage for a special recording of A Podcast of One’s Own, covering everything from interviewing world leaders and dealing with criticism, to navigating life transitions and why women still face different standards in public life. Listen to their conversation now!

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How can you get involved?

Solving the world’s most pressing problems cannot be done by a single type of expert working in isolation. We bring together diverse perspectives and different fields of research, and convene academics, policymakers, advocates and a wide range of organisations to understand and implement change where it matters most.

So, whether you're representing an organisation, are an academic or student working on gender-related research, or are just interested in learning more about gender equality, there are loads of ways you can get involved with our work at GIWL.

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