A new era for Indigenous gender justice

Country is everything to Dr June Oscar.

The ancient limestone ranges, the black soil plains, the sacred waterholes – all form the lifeblood of her birthplace.

Every inch of land carries the knowledge of her Bunuba ancestors, while also bearing the weight of untold injustices.

This traumatic past was not something she stumbled upon; she was born into it – a legacy handed down by the women who forged her fate.

“My mother and grandmother were my first teachers. Their strength and wisdom shaped me,” Oscar says.

“Growing up, I saw my family resisting the impacts of colonisation, and I realised early on that my role was to protect and advocate for my people and our future.”

Oscar has dedicated her life to serving her community. And the fight is far from over.

In the face of adversity

It’s a sad reality that the voices of First Nations women in Australia have been largely absent from the national conversation. It was only recently that this silence began to lift.

When the Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) Report was published in 2020, it was the first nationwide engagement with First Nations women and girls since the Women’s business consultation in 1986.

“That alone shows me that we have not progressed in any substantial way over the past few decades,” says Oscar, who led the multi-stage Wiyi Yani U Thangani Project while serving as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner.

In this role, she engaged with thousands of women and girls, transforming their lived experiences into a powerful call for change.  

“The Wiyi Yani U Thangani Project puts forward the vision for the future and the outcomes that First Nations women want to see,” Oscar says.

“Their words resonate deeply with me. Women are the backbone of their communities, holding families together and fulfilling cultural obligations against overwhelming odds. Yes, they talk about the burdens they carry, but also about their unyielding strength – the resilience to keep going, to continue fighting.”

“Women are doing the vast work of holding families together, managing conflict and helping heal from trauma.”

After a lifetime of hard work, Oscar knows progress is a gradual climb.

“The systems that govern our lives remain inadequate. The intersections of race, gender, and colonialism still impact our women disproportionately, especially in areas like justice, healthcare and economic opportunities,” she says.

“More recently, the Voice referendum outcome highlighted for me that divisions remain in our society between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians where we should and can be united.

“We need to be relentless in ensuring our women’s voices shape policy and legislation – and research and education is key to this.”

A voice at last

Today, Oscar leads a world-first Institute at The Australian National University (ANU).  

With an ambitious change agenda, the Wiyi Yani U Thangani First Nations Gender Justice Institute is elevating the voices of First Nations women, girls, trans women, sistergirls and everyone in the gender diversity spectrum through research and practice.

“Women are doing the vast work of holding families together, managing conflict and helping heal from trauma. It is the ambition of the Institute to elevate this knowledge to reconstruct the social fabric impacted by colonisation,” Oscar says.

“ANU is the ideal place for our Institute, not only for its academic excellence and commitment to gender equality and First Nations issues with partners like the First Nations Portfolio and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, but also for its proximity to government.”

The Institute marks the beginning of a new era, and Oscar is calling upon every sector of society to stand up for real change.

“We need researchers to come together across disciplines to translate ideas into action from multiple fronts, expanding our thinking and connections across different systems,” she says.  

“Non-Indigenous allies can contribute by amplifying our voices, challenging systems of oppression, and ensuring that their work supports our leadership and vision.”

Accountability in The Hill

In a historic move, the Australian Government recently announced the creation of a National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People.  

Oscar sees this crucial development as an opportunity to deliver greater accountability.  

“We hope the Commission will amplify the vision of Wiyi Yani U Thangani, bringing focus to the urgent need to change systems to better respond to the unique needs of First Nations children and young people,” she says.

“We are determined to provide crucial data, community engagement insights, and co-design processes to aid the Commission in shaping impactful, child-centred policies.”

“Our partnerships with research bodies, government agencies and international human rights organisations will strengthen our capacity to influence policy and drive systemic change.

“Through ongoing advocacy and active participation in national dialogues, we will ensure that our government upholds its responsibilities to First Nations peoples and moves towards realising the vision of First Nations gender justice and equality.  

Warriors of their time

In addition to her fierce advocacy work, Oscar has also found time to share knowledge in other ways.

Since 2000, she’s been the Director of Bunuba films, renowned for bringing one of Western Australia’s most acclaimed documentaries to life: Jandamarra’s War.

The film tells the true story of Jandamarra, a 19th-century Bunuba hero who led the resistance against British colonial forces in the Kimberley.

“Art has always been a powerful medium for storytelling in our culture. Through film, we can highlight our resilience and share truths that have long been ignored,” Oscar says.

Just as Jandamarra gave it all to protect his people and their way of life, Oscar has always poured her heart into the same cause.

Both are warriors of their time, reclaiming their space, and holding power to account.