In her own voice: Oral (legal) history’s insights on gender and the spheres of public law

‘Background’ Introduction: Extracts from Who’s Who in Public International Law FELLER, Erika Elizabeth Nationality: Australian DOB: 1949 Education: University of Melbourne, Australia LLB (Hons) thesis in international criminal law, BA (Psychology, Hons) 1971, Commonwealth Scholarship Involvement in International law Governmental: Department of Foreign Affairs, Australian Diplomatic Service, Canberra, 1972-1975, 1976-1980, 1985-1986, Australian Military Mission, Berlin, 1973-1976, Australian Embassy, Rome, 1980, Australian Mission to the UN, Geneva, 1980-1984. Placements in Canberra were predominantly with the Legal and Treaty Division, including a two-year assignment as Executive Assistant to the Legal Advisor, and as Chief of the Human Rights Section 1985-1986; UNHCR, including as High Commissioner’s Representative to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, 1993-1996, assignments have been predominantly with the Department of International Protection, 1997-1999, Director of the Department of International Protection, 1999-2006, Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, 2006 … Diplomatic: Participated in numerous international conferences and international negotiations on behalf of the Australian government and as UNHCR’s representative on occasion as Head of Delegation, and/or as Conference Chair, including Member, Australian Delegation to the Commission on Human Rights, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984; Australian Delegate to the Drafting Committee of the UN Convention against Torture, 1981-1984, Member, Australian Delegation to the UNHCR Executive Committee Annual Sessions, 1981,1982, 1983, 1984, Rapporteur, 1984; Australian Delegate to Council of Europe Human Rights Meetings, 1981-1984; Australian Delegate to International Red Cross, 1981, Member of the Australian Delegation which presented Australia’s report on its implementation of the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to the UN Human Rights Committee, 1983; Australian Delegation to the UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities 1981-1994; UNHCR’s Chief Negotiator and Head of Delegation in negotiations on a Memorandum of Understanding between UNHCR, Vietnam and Malaysia, 1994, and UNHCR, Vietnam and Cambodia, 2005; Planned and led UNHCR’s Global Consultations on International Protection which generated the Agenda for Protection, 2001-02 … Led protection input into UNHCR’s annual Executive Committee sessions 1997-… Deployed on occasion as UNHCR’s adviser to governments on the drafting of national legislation to bring international refugee obligations into effect nationally….