Jazmin fights for change
Jazmin Grant always wanted to make a difference.
The Bond University student moved to the Gold Coast from Yeppoon to study law and as she puts it, break down barriers for women in the industry.
A proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman, Ms Grant said she had witnessed “various injustices” in the legal system and knew she could help create change.
“I’ve witnessed the various injustices within our legal system and as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to pursue a legal career,” she said. “Issues such as racial profiling, lack of culturally appropriate services and systemic oppression from government systems inspired me to study law to raise awareness that these barriers exist for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”
Another subject close to her heart is the “advancement of women and girls”, with Ms Grant saying today’s International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrations provided an opportunity to highlight the issue.
She said one of the aims of the day was to ensure women received quality education and were encouraged to enter leadership roles.
“I’ve quickly discovered that in law and international relations, women are amazing advocates for the sort of empathetic issues that some males might not understand – issues of violence against women, for instance,” she said.
“Women want to cooperate more and lead discussions and give their world view.
“International issues have higher stakes and I think there’s a place for women in the top-end discussions and resolution of some of the world’s biggest legal issues.”