Zeny Edwards elected president of Australian Council for Human Rights Education

Dr Zeny Edwards considered it a great honour to be the newly elected president of the Australian Council for Human Rights Education.

The Australian Council for Human Rights Education (ACHRE), was established in 1999 by a group of committed and dedicated volunteers to actively pursue human rights education in Australia.

Her new position will enable her, together with a dynamic management committee, to implement programs and activities that will promote the ideals, values and goals of human rights education.

Zeny celebrated Human Rights Day in a ‘rosy’, positive way to boost morale during the COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure that Human Rights are central to recovery efforts.  The day stressed the need to address the problems of inequalities and discrimination exposed by the virus and that success can only be achieved through respect, cooperation, tolerance and community spirit.

Volunteers distributed roses to train commuters and the general public who were pleasantly surprised to receive the fragrant offerings. The roses were tagged with the theme of Human Rights in rebuilding the world we want, the need for global solidarity as well as reaffirming our interconnectedness as part of one human family.

Zeny’s objectives will centre around international human rights priorities and concerns in Australia and across the globe including gender inequalities, domestic violence, freedom of speech, climate change, asylum seekers’ and refugees’ welfare, peace and social justice.

Education is the keystone of the ACHRE program and will centre around
1. Creating opportunities for corporations, non-profits, government, universities, industry bodies, social enterprises and community groups to discuss solutions to current challenges affecting human rights, social justice and peace.
2. Implementing, or in partnership with other organisations and stakeholders, activities and programs that promote social justice, positive human rights advocacy and active leadership within the community.
3. Organising forums, roundtables and group discussions with students focusing on human rights issues that affect their school environment, their families and communities.

Zeny is always keen to explore partnership and support opportunities with community groups and like-minded organisations.

Dr Zeny Edwards OAM is an architectural historian and award-winning author and biographer.

Zeny served in various lead roles: as president of the National Trust of Australia (NSW); chair of UN Women Australia NSW Chapter, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women; and as trustee of Women’s Plans Foundation, a charitable trust which advocates a family planning component for all overseas aid programs in the Asia Pacific Region.

Zeny was a committee member of the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project (ACT) and joined the United Nations Association of Australia in 2013 and retired her position as Director of the UNAA Peace Program in 2018. She was a member of the Inclusive Narrative Advisory Board and served as a panellist at the National Social Cohesion and Inclusion Conference (2020) of the Office of External Affairs of the Australian Baha’i Community. She participated in the DFAT-NGO Human Rights Forum (2020).

Zeny also serves as Vice-president of World Citizens Association of Australia and Vice-president of the 20^th Century Heritage Society of NSW and ACT. She is an active and philanthropic supporter of Sydney Living Museums Foundation, The Taronga Conservancy Fund, The Australian Museum Foundation, ICAN, The Social Outfit and the New Democracy Foundation.

Zeny is a recipient of the Order or Australia Medal for community service and heritage preservation.