Leadership for COVID-19 Response and Recovery

The Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) is an Australia Awards enrichment program, helping Pacific scholars to build their skills and networks in order to take on leadership roles in their workplaces, communities and countries. It aims to increase the number of women who hold positions of influence in all sectors and spheres of Pacific society, whilst deepening Australia’s relationships with its Pacific neighbours.

Learning and Networking events are one of WLI’s key offerings to Pacific women and men scholars and their spouses. Held online and at different locations around Australia (when possible), Learning and Networking events attract a range of prominent Pacific and Australian leaders, practitioners and policymakers who share their insights and perspectives on key leadership and development issues in the region.

Summary

Between July and December 2020 more than 50 participants and alumni of WLI’s leadership and mentoring program joined forces to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Pacific. Fifteen teams of WLI participants and alumni worked to design and implement leadership initiatives with a COVID-related focus, across six Pacific countries (Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Nauru).

At this interactive online event, WLI teams will share their experiences and lessons from exercising leadership in the time of COVID-19. Through a mix of plenary discussion and small group activities, participants will have the opportunity to interact closely with WLI team members, staff and others present, reflect on the challenges and opportunities of exercising leadership in the time of COVID-19. Participants will also be invited to examine their own role as leaders in tackling development challenges in the COVID and post-COVID Pacific.

Event Outline

12:00pm Welcome and opening remarks

12:10pm Women’s Leadership Initiative introduction

12:20pm Moderated panel discussion

1:20pm Q&A

1:50pm Wrap up, thanks and close

2:00pm Event close