Julia Haas, 2023 winner of the Gender Focal Point Award

Julia Haas, an Associate Project Officer with the Office of the Representative on Freedom of the Media, is part of a new generation of OSCE staffers dedicated to ensuring our policy commitment to gender equality transforms into real life action for change.

Being at the forefront of a new, inclusive gender movement, she received the Gender Focal Point Award, 2023.

Julia proudly describes herself as a lifelong advocate for gender equality and inclusion.

She recalls how in high school, after taking part in a presentation on the practice of female genital mutilation, she initiated a project to raise awareness and collect donations. “I was shocked by what I saw,” she shares. Witnessing that horror was part of what prompted her to study law, so she could “work toward justice and the realization of human rights.”

During a legal internship, Julia worked on supporting female victims of human trafficking.

“That was a real eye-opener for me on the gendered nature of injustice,” she says. “I started to realize the pervasiveness of unfair burdens women are forced to carry.”

She also became aware of her own relative privilege of growing up in a society with a high level of consciousness of gender equality and decided to represent those whose voices are not heard.

Julia has lived up to her own convictions, as is witnessed by her colleagues.

“There are two key success criteria to assessing the performance of a gender focal point at any institution. First, it is consistency in streamlining a gender-sensitive approach across all projects and activities. Second, it is a strong and genuine commitment to ‘walking the talk’ - dedication to fighting for gender equality in practice, and not being afraid to have difficult conversations and stand up for your values rather than putting words that never transform into real-life change on paper. Julia is consistent and committed in her approach to this role, and persistent and principled as an equality activist,” says Antonina Cherevko, Senior Adviser with the Office of the Representative on Freedom of the Media.

Julia herself remains modest about her efforts. She credits her success to the inspiration she found in robust women friendships, empowering connections within feminist networks, and experiences of female family members. “I learned from them that changing the way people think is the first step to changing their actions, both on an individual and societal level,” she says.

She puts her beliefs into practice every day. “You have to be persistent,” she says. “Every day, we must be ready to convey the crucial messages. Gender imbalance is structural. We must overcome these institutional challenges by learning to work together. That means we must be vocal, and we must be morally strong in speaking out.”

Julia sees a clear intersection between gender, freedom of expression, and the rise of digital technologies including artificial intelligence. “Technology is changing how we communicate and live our lives – we must ensure we continue to protect those who are marginalized and prevent the erosion of freedom of speech,” she says.

The outcomes of Julia’s tireless work as a Gender Focal Point for Freedom of the Media can be seen in her support for the adoption of a departmental Gender Action Plan and a Joint Declaration on Gender Justice and Freedom of Expression.

“One day, I hope we can stop talking about gender as a divisive issue,” she says. “That is the day we will have built a pluralist and inclusive future. Until then, I will continue to use my voice to bring people together.”