Mia Hyun

Violence Against Women in South-East Asia: a Feminist Comparative Study of Conditions for Policy Reform. 

Supervisors: David Hudson & Claire McLoughlin

Mia’s research project studies the conditions under which policy reforms aimed at eliminating gender based violence against women have been implemented in selected South East Asian Countries, based on an assessment of the implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on Eliminating Violence Against Women. Central to this analysis is an understanding of the gendered nature of the institutions responsible for policy reform, and the informal and invisible gendered rules and norms which drive actors’ decisions. Of particular interest is the impact of gendered social norms on governance structures and policy decisions, how they inform the framing of violence against women and related policy instruments, and how this framing affects the degree to which policies are operationalized in practice. 

Profile

Mia has over 30 years of global international development work experience in Lao PDR, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Timor Leste, Malaysia, Micronesia, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Kenya, working with a range of development organizations including World Bank, ADB, UN Agencies, DFAT, EU, USAID, Peace Corps, Oxfam, and others. Her focus is on operational research, policy advice and capacity development on gender and social inclusion. She has been based in Asia for 25 years: namely in Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and currently in Singapore. She is currently a full time distance doctoral researcher and part time consultant on gender and gender based violence in South East Asia. 

Research Interests

  • Gender based violence
  • Country level gender regime analyses
  • Gender and social inclusion in sector policies and governance institutions (economic empowerment, industrial development, infrastructure development (transport and energy); education, political participation.
  • Gender related policy reform in South East Asia

Qualifications 

  • MSc Applied Economics (Agricultural Development Policy) (Distinction) – University of London: Imperial College/SOAS
  • Masters of Business Administration and Public Sector Management – Boston University Graduate School of Management 

Professional memberships

  • PGR Representative for the University of Birmingham CoSS Enterprise, Engagement and Impact Committee
  • Development Studies Association
  • British International Studies Association
  • Association of South East Asian Scholars
  • Women in South East Asian Social Studies
  • Society of Gender Professionals
  • USAID Women's Economic Empowerment Community of Practice