The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day (March 8) is “For all women and girls: Rights, equality, empowerment”.
It is a call to action to unlock equal rights, power, and opportunities for all. It is also an appeal to realise a feminist future where no one is left behind.
At EDO, women make up the majority of our executive leadership and practice managers, and we are committed to developing our talented women further by offering scholarships in the Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia’s (WELA) National Leadership Program.
Three outstanding members of the EDO team are currently participating: Deputy Director of Policy and Law Reform Rachel Walmsley; Managing Lawyer for Northern Territory and South Australia Elanor Fenge; and Science Officer Ropa Moyo.
WELA’s program is for women and gender diverse changemakers who want to accelerate positive transformation for our environment and climate.
To mark this year’s IWD and the value of WELA’s National Leadership Program, scholarship recipient, Special Counsel Cerin Loane, reflects on her experience in the program in 2023.
Q. How has the National Leadership Program influenced your approach to working with underserved communities to achieve environmental justice?
Ms Loane: I have been working in this space for close to 20 years, in various roles in Australia and overseas, and I am constantly adding to my experience, growing, and learning new ways of working.
Participating in the Program provided a unique platform for self-reflection and growth, access to amazing content and practical skills training, and connection with a growing community of like-minded women that remain available to support me professionally and personally.
Starting out in this line of work, it’s very easy to feel both overwhelmed with the amount of work that needed to be done, and the desire to do everything all at once. The WELA National Leadership Program has played critical role in shaping my own thinking about how I want to spend the next 20 years of my working life, advocating for environmental justice and systemic change, and has given me many tools to use along the way.
Q. As a community environmental lawyer, what leadership skills did you develop in the program that have been most impactful in your work, particularly when working with grassroots organizations?
Ms Loane: One of the key ideas from the Program that resonated with me is that leadership comes in all shapes and sizes, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. For me, this means approaching each situation differently and trying to understand how I can best serve the communities I work with. I have also learned that the needs of each community or group will be different, so it is important that my leadership style and role is adaptable.
Another concept I find central to the work we do at EDO is empowering communities. As environmental lawyers, we can empower people with knowledge and resources about the law so they can stand up to protect their local environment. By doing this, we can help support people to lead, and to become leaders of their own communities. Leading does not always mean being out in front; just as important is creating space for others to lead.
Day-to-day, I try to apply practical skills honed during the Program, including active listening and setting up habits for self-care and avoiding burn-out. These are practical things I can do to help me be a more effective leader, which means I am in a better position to make the most impact in the work I do.
Q. Women often face unique challenges in leadership roles, especially in law and environmental advocacy. How has your experience in the National Leadership Program empowered you to navigate and overcome these challenges?
Ms Loane: The Program helps participants identify challenges that people, especially women, face in the workplace and in leadership roles (including volunteer roles). The program helpfully includes targeted sessions that break down these challenges and explore options for responding when such challenges arise.
For example, the Program explored and challenged the idea of imposter syndrome, helping reframe this as not only a problem that individual women may experience, but as symptom of a system that is not set up to support women and help them thrive. I participated in practical workshops where we could apply skills in facilitation, presentation and engaging in critical (difficult) conversations. And we identified ways we can seek support when challenges become overwhelming.
Q. Looking ahead, what advice would you give to young women aspiring to become environmental lawyers and advocates for their communities? How can programs like WELA’s National Leadership Program help shape their journey?
Ms Loane: Working in this space is challenging and rewarding. Embrace opportunities to learn and seek out ways you can be supported. There are many ways you can contribute, so find a path that works for you.
The WELA National Leadership Program provides a unique opportunity for self-reflection and growth. You don’t need to be a leader ‘in-title’ to participate. The Program really is for anyone who wants to improve themselves so they can be more impactful in the work they do.
About Cerin Loane
Ms Loane is a policy and law reform lawyer at the Environmental Defenders Office. Her work includes writing law reform proposals, engaging with government on draft policy and legislation, and providing legal advice to EDO clients on a range of environmental issues, including biodiversity conservation, environment and planning law and natural resource management. Previously, Ms Loane worked as an in-house lawyer for government, for a non-profit human rights organisation in Mongolia, and as policy and research coordinator at the NSW Nature Conservation Council.
