2020
Emily Milton Smith
- Age: 32
- | She/her/hers
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It is no longer good enough to just have a seat at the table for girls and young women. We must go further to create meaningful and generational change. It requires action and accountability. Leaders must listen, truly listen, and then deliver for young people, with young people, to improve outcomes for all.
- Emily Milton Smith
Bio
Emily is globally recognised changemaker and acclaimed gender advocate and education specialist, passionate about social impact, sustainability, gender policy, and youth and community services.
With executive and governance (trustee/director) level experience across several for-purpose entities in local and global contexts, Emily has been a member of/or chaired several boards and committees with a focus on gender, youth engagement, and education.
Some current and recent appointments include:
• Elected to International Council of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award
• Global Advisor at The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust
• UN Women Australia’s Sydney Committee, fundraising for capacity-building in the Asia-Pacific
• Board of National Council of Women, NSW -past
• Global Youth Board of Unilever’s Dove’s Self Esteem Project supporting reach to 25+ million people on body confidence and resilience -past
Emily has led international advocacy delegations to the United Nations and negotiated on international policy. She has also delivered successful campaigns and projects on body confidence, mental health, diversity and inclusion, and SRHR – working across several partnership-based initiatives.
Currently, Emily works at OzHarvest, Australia’s leading food rescue charity, in a corporate engagement, partnerships and events role. During a pandemic redeployment, Emily was part of the leadership team managing Australia’s largest emergency food relief project.
What ignited your pursuit for gender equality?
Being born a girl and realizing the different and unequal ways my friends and I were treated in comparison to our brothers. Being told I was less than and less capable simply because of my gender. It ignited a fire in me that took years to name: justice, fairness, equality.
Please share your biggest wins as an advocate for gender equality.
I spearheaded several education initiatives designed to empower girls and young women to advocate decision-makers and take action in their communities, including the Stop the Violence campaign. This impact built upon my advocacy at the United Nations, where I was instrumental in securing recognition of girls’ rights in gender-based violence.
Outside of your gender equality advocacy work, what do you enjoy doing?
I enjoy continuing to grow and learn: about myself, the people around me, and the world I live in. This includes trying new things in the kitchen, visiting new places, and consuming as much art, film, and culture as I can.
Languages Spoken:
- English (Advanced/Native)
- French (Elementary)
- Spanish (Elementary)
- French (Elementary)
Publications:
Speaks On:
- girls' rights and the intersection of body confidence, mental heath, and resilience
- Girls and Young Women in leadership, governance, and decision-making
- The Sustainable Development Goals
- Gender and The Internet, digital inclusion, data governance, and social media.
- Education as empowerment
Past Awards, Certifications, or Fellowships:
- Bicentenary Ambassador for the NSW Legislative Council
- Chair’s Course, Australian Institute of Company Directors, 2021
- Wattle Award, Girl Guides Australia, 2021
- Finalist, NSW Women of the Year 2020
- Finalist, NSW Young Achievers Award, 2018
