Senior research fellow at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Social Policy Research Centre and senior lecturer at UNSW Law and Justice, Rosemary Kayess, has been appointed to a high-profile stage where she can lend her expertise as a researcher, lawyer and academic to improve the lives of people with disabilities. 

Ms Kayess was elected to the UN committee first in 2018 and her rapid appointment to the position of vice-chair in March 2019 and now as chair “recognised her unique expertise from her academic and community positions” in Australia and beyond. 

She commented that it was an “incredible honour” to be elected chair of the committee and an “amazing way to celebrate International Women’s Day”. 

“The committee had 17 men and one woman before I joined in 2019 and now it has surpassed gender parity with women in four executive leadership positions – including two vice-chairs and a rapporteur, as well as me as chair,” Ms Kayess said. 

“It is an achievement for me personally but also for women with disabilities and in leadership roles.”

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Ms Kayess graduated from UNSW with a bachelor of social sciences (hons) in 1994 and a bachelor of laws in 2004. She is the academic lead engagement of UNSW’s Disability Innovation Institute and is behind “ground-breaking” initiatives to help transform the lives of people with disability through research and innovation.