Empowering poor communities - good practices

The Hon Robyn Layton AO QC

Asia Development Bank Consultant on Poverty reduction - Philippines, Cambodia and Kazakhstan and Adjunct Professor, School of Law, University of South Australia

Wednesday 17 October 2012, Allan Scott Auditorium

Jointly presented by Amnesty International and The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre

 

Poverty reduction is a global challenge. It requires the combination of a country human rights-based framework which provides for inclusive economic growth, as well as consultative community based strategies to ensure appropriate supports and services are provided to those in need. The theories are well known, the constraints have been in the delivery. The tension between the two, using international and Australian examples will be discussed as well as highlighting good practice examples.

Marking Anti-Poverty Week and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

Hon Robyn Layton AO QC
Robyn is an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Australia School of Law and also works as a Judicial Education and Programme Development Consultant both nationally and internationally.
She is currently working as the lead consultant for the Asia Development Bank on a poverty reduction project for women in the Philippines, Cambodia and Kazakhstan. She also continues her work for the International labour Office providing judicial education on human rights and international labor standards in various countries.

Prior to September 2010 she was a Judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia until she resigned in order to further her present interests.

Robyn's legal career has been very varied. She has in turn been a solicitor; a barrister; a Judge in the Industrial Court of South Australia and a Deputy President of the Commonwealth Administrative Appeals Tribunal. 
Her strong connection with human rights issues began in the late 1960's She did pro bono legal work related to civil liberties issues including defending demonstrators against the Vietnam war and conscription, assisted Aboriginal people involved in legal issues prior to and after the setting up of the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement (ALRM). She also argued a number of cases in the courts on a pro bono basis for refugees and was instrumental in setting up the programme for Refugee Assistance in South Australia (RASSA)

Robyn is currently:

•  Patron of the Migrant Resource Centre in South Australia
• Chair of the Advisory Council for the Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia
• a member of the Justice Aboriginal Awareness Committee in SA
• a member of the Community Protection Panel of the Social Inclusion Unit.
• Co Chair of Reconciliation SA

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