On International Women’s Day 2019, Per Capita is thrilled to announce that Tanja Kovac is joining our team as Senior Fellow, Gender Equity.
Tanja is a renowned activist for gender equality, and a policy and advocacy leader with decades of experience working in government, law and the non-profit sector.
Most recently she was Chief of Staff to the late Fiona Richardson MP, Australia’s first family violence prevention minister where she was responsible for overseeing Victoria’s strategic family violence prevention and gender equality agenda, including creating the Victoria’s first Gender Equality Strategy.
Per Capita’s Executive Director, Emma Dawson, said “I am delighted that Tanja Kovac is joining Per Capita to lead our work on gender equality and advocacy for women and girls.
“Tanja’s expertise and her passionate feminism will bring a depth of experience to Per Capita’s focus on fighting inequality in the area of gender equity and women’s rights. I can’t wait to work with Tanja as we undertake a series of important policy and advocacy projects to address issues such as women’s financial insecurity, family violence, women’s leadership and the intersectional causes of gender inequality in Australia.”
Tanja Kovac said “I am honoured to be joining Emma and the Per Capita team at such a critical moment for women in Australia and around the world. Gender inequality remains stubbornly entrenched in a number of sectors, but most acutely in the way we shape our economy. It’s so important to have women leading research for gender equity and this new role is a sign of the growing role women are playing in developing innovative solutions to old problems.”
After a decade of student activism at school and university, Tanja commenced work as a solicitor at Slater & Gordon, working in the firm’s Public Interest Unit, where she was responsible for a number of high profile human rights cases, including the Richmond Secondary College police “baton charge” claims, illegal strip searches and assaults of women by Victoria Police and as part of the team acting for Amnesty International in the case concerning refugees aboard the MV Tampa. She also volunteered in community legal centres providing legal support to victims of the Black Saturday Bushfires.
Tanja is a Director and National-Convenor of EMILY’s List Australia, where she has been instrumental in developing gender based campaign strategies and policy change within the ALP, including setting the affirmative action target for women – 50/50 by 2025. She is also Deputy Chair of the Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health and on the board of Burrinja Arts Centre.
Tanja has extensive experience with print, radio, TV and online media. Her writing has featured in The Age, Daily Telegraph, Crikey, MammaMia and more.
For more information, please contact Emma Dawson on 0400 372 738 or info@percapita.org.au
