In this episode of Speaking of Social Justice, host Dr Julie Macken turns her attention to International Women’s Day and to a deeper, more uncomfortable question: how do we exercise power?

Ahead of a special panel discussion, Julie reflects on the state of the world for women today. From persistent gender pay gaps to gender-based violence in Australia, and from global scandals of abuse to political leadership that simply replicates old models of dominance, it’s clear that putting women into positions of power hasn’t automatically transformed how power is used.

This conversation asks something more radical: is it possible to exercise power differently? Can leadership move beyond command-and-control, bullying, and exploitation, and toward models that are collaborative, creative, accountable, and life-giving?

Drawing on feminist critique, lived experience, and the wisdom of older cultures that organised differently, this episode invites listeners to imagine forms of power that don’t just change who is in charge, but change how leadership itself works.

If you’re interested in justice, gender equality, and rethinking leadership for a fractured world, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/iwd-2026-reimagining-power