Kara Irwin | McCall MacBain Foundation

Bachelor of Laws (Honours) | Bachelor of Global Studies

New Zealand is experiencing epidemic levels of domestic and intimate partner violence across the motu, with one in three women in New Zealand experiencing sexual or physical violence during their lifetime. Regrettably, wāhine Māori have consistently carried the burden of experiencing the most disproportionate rates of family violence since the colonisation of Aotearoa. However, our legal frameworks and agencies have failed to adequately prevent, respond to, and protect wāhine Māori from whānau violence.

As a young female final-year law student who sits at an intersection of identities—Samoan and Palagi on my father’s side, and New Zealand European on my mother’s side—I aspire to use my positionality and legal education to benefit my communities and meet their needs, using my kete of tools to make tangible, positive impacts for real people and real lives. Therefore, my focus is on addressing the complex and intergenerational consequences of family violence for whānau Māori and other Indigenous women, particularly by providing culturally competent and trauma-informed support to victims navigating the complexities of the criminal justice system, as part of the broader effort to end domestic violence against all women in New Zealand.

Sponsor: McCall MacBain Foundation 

Mentor: Judge Sandra Alofivae

A Judge of the District Court of New Zealand with a distinguished career in law and community service. Prior to her judicial appointment, Judge Alofivae was a barrister specialising in family and youth law and served on numerous governance and advisory bodies. She brings a deep commitment to justice, service, and community leadership.