Being a Voice for Change – Emma Minimbi

We caught up with Emma to find out more about the work she is doing and her ambitious plans for the future. 

Tell us about your time at Ashurst.

I still remember joining Ashurst on 4 June 2016. Everything was so new and the technology was way more advanced than most of the Papua New Guinea (PNG) law firms. This was very exciting for me as I am the type of person who loves technology and enjoys using IT systems and keeping everything on computers.

I really enjoyed my 2 years 8 months with Ashurst and only left after winning a scholarship to further my studies. I was given the opportunity to defer my scholarship but, given what happened with COVID-19, I am glad I didn't.

You recently completed your Master of Public and International Law at the University of Melbourne after being awarded the Australia Awards Scholarship. How was that?

If I am honest, I spent a couple of weekends crying because of the exams which involved writing 6000 words essays in two days and the research papers of 10,000 words (laughs). I was so used to doing procedural law and litigation that, when it came to international law and how it affects the public domain, I was mind blown. It was definitely a bit of a struggle at first.

Thankfully the first two subjects I took eased me into the challenges of studying at a post graduate level and developed my understanding of how international law differs from litigation and commercial law.

In the end, I enjoyed my Master’s program and I made a lot of friends in Australia as well as from all over the world.

Now that you have completed this study, you have returned to PNG and are working with an organisation called Voice for Change. Tell us about this.

As part of my scholarship contract with the Commonwealth of Australia, I have now returned to PNG to undertake 2 years of developmental work in the law and justice sector.

Voice for Change is a women's human rights organisation that represents women with many types of legal issues, especially relating to domestic violence and gender-based violence. They help with issues such as obtaining protection orders for women against their partners and family members, and sorcery-related violence and deaths.

While we assist in gender-based violence and domestic violence issues, we also go further and address these issues with a more holistic approach. We try to empower women by running economic empowerment programmes and women's leadership programmes. Personally, I am attached to the elimination of all forms of violence against women (EVAW) response desk as a volunteer legal intern/officer.

I attend the District Court on behalf of all clients who come to our office, mostly women and girls, and I advise women and young girls on their rights and responsibilities according to domestic and international law. I try as much as possible to translate legalese into layperson’s terms, and explain the law in a simple way that a layperson can understand.

I think the most important impact I have had in the community in Minj, Jiwaka Province is the ability to change the perception of people, especially menfolk. By being present in the community, not only as a lawyer, but as a woman with a post graduate qualification volunteering in a rural setting, for a lack of a better term, has opened the eyes of menfolk in the community. In one month, my presence alone as a volunteer legal officer has decreased the domestic violence in the neighbouring villages and communities. Furthermore, menfolk are now seeing the important of equal opportunity for women and girls. This has brought me so much satisfaction in the work I am doing, changing lives in a holistic manner by being involved in a sphere where PNG’s law and justice system are barely accessible.

Where does your passion for this type of work come from?

Growing up in the Highlands of PNG, I saw firsthand a lot of violence within marriages and within the community more broadly. The Highlands of PNG has a very strong patrilineal society where men have so much power over women and growing up watching this made me say "No - I am not going to stand for this!". I want to return and educate people that women have equal rights to men and represent those who have little to no access to the law and justice system.

What is next for you – what are your future aspirations?

In the next 10 years I hope to be in one of two places.

First, I hope to work to persuade the government to set up a National Human Rights Commission in PNG. There was a draft Organic Law on the Papua New Guinea Human Rights Commission drafted by the National Legislative Council in 2013, however, to date, there has been no political will to push for the passing of this Organic Law to establish a Human Rights Commission. It is a massive and pretty difficult task but I am determined to see this through.

If I am not working on setting up a Human Rights Commission, then I am hoping to be working with UN Women and running programmes focused on ending all forms of violence against women in PNG.

What do you hope will have changed in 10 years in this space within PNG and what is the biggest obstacle to this change?

First of all, I hope that all women know their rights. A lot of women in villages think they are second class citizens and secondary to men and that men hold all of the power. We need to empower women to let them know they can make decisions to protect themselves. Secondly, on a wider scale, I hope men's mentality towards women changes, and that they recognise and respect women’s rights.

I think the biggest barrier to this is custom. Custom really does play a big role in determining how the village courts and peace mediators make decisions. For instance, when a woman is beaten by her partner or husband, the village court magistrate will almost automatically ask “What did the woman do wrong?”. The magistrate can say that according to custom the woman is probably in the wrong and deserves whatever has happened. The husband is then usually ordered to pay compensation to his wife and she is forced to go back to him even if she doesn't want to.

Did you always know you wanted to be a lawyer?

At one point I wanted to be an archaeologist (laughs).

I was 12 when I decided I actually wanted to be a lawyer. I witnessed police brutality first-hand when I watched police officers beat up my eldest brother who was only 16 years old at that time. They then arrested him with no charges and detained him in jail with adult males for 6 months without acknowledging that he was a juvenile, and furthermore, denied him medical attention for all the injuries he sustained. At that point my family couldn’t find a lawyer who would help us get him out and I thought, you know what, I am going to be a lawyer and help people who are in situations where there is serious injustice.

How has your time at Ashurst helped you to succeed?

Ashurst shaped me as a lawyer in terms of being diligent in my work, curating in me the work ethic of having attention to detail and encouraging me to be a bit of a perfectionist, especially in terms of drafting documents.

When I started at Ashurst I felt like I had no idea of what I was doing and when I left I knew how to identify and address any legal problem or issue that arose, and most importantly to think quickly on my feet. I am forever grateful that I spent my 2 years, 8 months with Ashurst.

Are there Ashurst colleagues who had, or continue to have, a significant impact on your life and career?

My Supervising Partner at Ashurst was Ian Shepherd and he is still a big part of my life. He sometimes calls and messages to see how I am doing and he even asked me if I would consider coming back. He was very supportive of my application for the Australia Awards Scholarship and he has always been very supportive of my dreams and aspirations. He told me if I really wanted to get anything done I could and if I needed help he would always be there.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

I recall a colleague at Ashurst saying "If you can do something today, get it done today. Don't leave it until tomorrow." This advice is the reason I don't have work piling up for me every day and is some of the best advice I've ever received.

What is your favourite Ashurst memory?

The 2017 Christmas party!

What do you love about living in PNG and what do you do on weekends?

There a lot of things I could say I don't like about PNG in terms of the government, politics and society generally, but I do love that PNG has really beautiful scenery especially up in the Highlands. My personal favourite scenery is waterfalls. On weekends I love to go and find new waterfalls - I call it my chasing waterfalls weekends.