The ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEVAW) is the world’s first centre to tackle the full range of forms of violence against women in Australia and the Indo-Pacific region.

CEVAW aims to transform our understanding of the problem by:

• examining the structural drivers that cause and compound violence against women (VAW)
• pioneering new, evidence-based approaches to inform trajectory-altering practice and policy.

CEVAW will generate fundamental knowledge on the causes of violence, the contexts in which it occurs, and the most effective and efficient responses. This interdisciplinary research will be data-driven, Indigenous-centred and co-designed with partners.

CEVAW brings together more than 40 world-leading experts to develop scalable approaches to eliminate violence against women across the legal, security, economic, health and political systems of Australia and the region. By building strategic and strong partnerships with Australian and international research institutions and partner organisations, CEVAW will translate research into innovative tools and strengthened capacity to drive the elimination of violence against women.

Located at Brisbane South (Nathan) campus, Griffith University.

As Griffith is a multi-site University you may be required to work across other locations. Griffith University sites are located on the lands of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera, Turrbal, Yugambeh and Kombumerri peoples.

The ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to join our team and contribute to a significant research project focusing on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in the Indo-Pacific. This project intends to analyse non-legal pathways to survivor-centred justice for CRSV survivors in post-conflict contexts in the Indo-Pacific. Across the region, transitional justice and reparative programs have been enacted with the intention of meeting survivors’ needs, rights, agency, and participation through different programs, including artistic and creative, faith-based, counselling, healthcare, compensation and economic empowerment, restorative justice and mediation.

We welcome research project proposals that propose to explore transitional justice and reparative programs in one post-conflict context.  Proposals can also focus on historical contexts (such as the so-called ‘comfort women’ system established and controlled by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II), contemporary conflicts (including Nepal, the Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Timore-Leste, and Vietnam), and frontier wars that have completed or are undergoing truth and reconciliation processes, such as the Yoorrook Justice Commission (Victoria, Australia).

For Indigenous Australians interested in this project, there is an opportunity to apply for the Griffith University Indigenous Australian Postgraduate Research Scholarship (GUIAPRS), which offers financial support through the provision of a stipend to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research candidates while they undertake a higher degree research program at Griffith University.

The project will suit a candidate with an interest in conflict-related sexual violence, transitional justice, human rights, gender and feminist scholarship.  The project will be designed and informed by the CEVAW's four Indigenous research principles: relationships, material benefit, equity, and Indigenous leadership.

All scholarship recipients will be located with the Griffith University Node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEVAW), under the supervision of Professor Sara Davies, Deputy Director (Indo-Pacific Research) and Dr Phyu Phyu Oo, Research Fellow, CEVAW. There will be an additional opportunity for associate supervision from one of the CEVAW Chief Investigators located in five additional CEVAW nodes (Monash University, Curtin University, Australian National University, Macquarie University and University of Melbourne).

The PhD candidates will benefit from unique supervision and mentoring opportunities afforded by CEVAW’s Chief Investigators across different Australian universities as well as networking opportunities across academia and industry through conferences and CEVAW’s partner organisations, nationally and internationally.

The selection of the applicant for the award of a Higher Degree Research Scholarship at Griffith University is based on academic merit and research background. To be successful in this particular role, you will also need to demonstrate:

• Evidence of conflict-related sexual violence research, advocacy, or practitioner expertise (essential)
• Experience with mixed or multiple methods research (essential)
• Expressions of interest are welcome from domestic and applicants only.
• Applicants must have completed a Bachelor’s degree with honours equivalent to first-class honours, or a Master’s degree (AQF Level 9) incorporating a significant research component of a standard comparable to a Bachelor honours degree, or be regarded by Griffith University as having an equivalent level of attainment in accordance with Schedule One of the HDR Scholarship Policy. For further information on the eligibility requirements for the program, refer here.

Please note:

• Prior experience with field research in the Indo-Pacific region including Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand (desirable)
• Authorship on journal publications and/or reports  (desirable)

About the scholarship

The value of the stipend scholarship is $36,000 per annum (full-time, fixed rate) for three years, with the option for an additional CEVAW top up scholarship of $10,000 per annum.

For Indigenous Australians interested in this project, there is an opportunity to apply for the Griffith University Indigenous Australian Postgraduate Research Scholarship (GUIAPRS). A full-time GUIAPRS carries an annual stipend of $55,379 (2026 rate), with the option for a CEVAW stipend of $10,000 per annum.

What Griffith offers
As a scholarship holder, you will study with a University that ranks among the top 2% worldwide and spans across campuses in South East Queensland. At Griffith University, we’ve worked hard to create a culture that will challenge you to be curious, creative and courageous. We also support the professional and personal development of all our HDR candidates and invest in the skills of our people. Griffith University values diversity, inclusion and flexibility and we encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and people of all backgrounds to apply. Griffith's strategic goals are to also increase the proportion of women in senior academic and administrative roles and in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM).

EoI process
Please do not select the “APPLY” button. All expressions of interest must be submitted to Professor Sara Davies [email protected] containing:

• Statement addressing your suitability for the project/scholarship
• Research proposal outlining your proposed research question, a brief literature review on CRSV and non-legal justice pathways and proposed mixed method research design in one more or more conflict affected contexts (1000 words).
• A writing sample as lead author or co-author (e.g. published paper, thesis, report)
• Evidence that you have completed a program with the required grades as detailed in the ‘About you’ section
• A curriculum vitae (CV) using the Griffith CV template.
• Names and contact details of two referees

Closing date for expressions of interest is: 01 November 2026 5pm AEST

The preferred applicant will then be invited to apply for the program and scholarship on-line

Further information

For project related enquiries please contact:
Professor Sara Davies
Phone: (07) 3735 9785
Email:  [email protected]

For administration enquiries please contact:
Griffith Graduate Research School
Email: [email protected]