Recent articles by Meg Schwarz
30 October 2025
Why the annexation of the West Bank matters to all of us
Between 1 January and 30 September 2025, Israeli authorities carried out 1288 demolitions of Palestinian-owned structures in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
23 October 2025
Women are missing from peace negotiations, from strategic decision-making
There’s a new international body being set up to oversee Gaza’s future, called the “Board of Peace.” It’s part of Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, with Tony Blair already named as a leading figure.
13 October 2025
Childhood on hold: Growing up too soon in Gaza and beyond
UNICEF has called Gaza the “most dangerous place in the world to be a child.” It estimates every single child in Gaza will need mental health support.
7 October 2025
What are international protests revealing about Palestine, Israel and public opinion?
When I first saw the figures on international protests from October 2023 to September 2025, I was fascinated. I hadn’t realised which countries had been most active and the results surprised me.
29 September 2025
Justice over comfort – Rethinking DEI across borders and battles
Diversity, equity and inclusion programs are often defunded, dismissed as divisive, symbolic, performative, or reduced to box-ticking exercises, but in the shadow of the genocide in Gaza, we need to ask ourselves – what is DEI really about?
27 September 2025
Don't forget her name
Amina Al-Mufti, a Palestinian child, was only 10 years old. Only a child! She simply stepped out to fetch a bucket of clean water for her family, something for which no child should have to risk their life.
8 August 2025
Gendered violence in war isn’t a flaw. It’s a feature
When people ask, “Why are children always the first to suffer in war?” I find myself thinking about Gaza.
15 July 2025
Why any strategy to combat antisemitism must also address Islamophobia
Australia’s newly released Plan to Combat Antisemitism has sparked strong debate and rightly so.
21 June 2025
What if the UN Charter fails? A world without rules is closer than we think
“We the peoples of the United Nations are determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind…” — Preamble to the UN Charter, 1945
23 May 2025
Why isn’t the UN doing more than talking about Gaza?
You’re not the only one wondering why the United Nations keeps releasing statements while people in Gaza — and other conflict zones — are being killed, starved or displaced. It’s easy to feel like all the UN does is express concern, make speeches and hold meetings….but shouldn’t it be doing something tangible by now?
1 April 2025
Is DEI really about justice or just what’s comfortable?
Diversity, equity and inclusion programs have been under attack lately – defunded in the US, dismissed as divisive by Australia’s Opposition Leader and treated as a box-ticking exercise in many workplaces. But after everything we’ve seen in Gaza, isn’t it time to ask – What is DEI really about?
12 February 2025
The lost generation: Gaza’s children and their stolen futures
Rasha was 10 years old when she wrote her will. In simple words, she asked that her belongings be given to those in need if she didn’t survive. A child, too young to dream of death, yet old enough to know it was coming. She was killed soon after.
14 January 2025
The cost of apathy
Apathy isn’t just a lack of care – it’s a failure of connection. It happens when people stop believing their voices matter, their efforts count, or that change is possible. Apathy is the silent enemy, replacing passion and engagement with indifference. – Manu Sharma, The Silent Enemy
11 December 2024
They destroyed what was inside us: The children of Gaza
From the day the war began, 15-year old Ghazal’s life was irreversibly changed. “They destroyed what was inside us,” she said. Her story is a window into the larger tragedy of how war has devastated children, especially those with disabilities.
29 November 2024
Women missing from strategic decision-making: A call for inclusive leadership
As conflicts rage across the world, one painful truth remains: women are still missing from the decision-making table. Decisions that shape the futures of millions continue to exclude half the population.
22 November 2024
Does race influence Western support in international conflicts?
The ongoing genocide in Gaza forces us to confront an uncomfortable reality: why does the West seem to prioritise some conflicts while others, particularly in Africa, go unnoticed? It raises a critical question: does race…does colour influence how Western nations choose where to focus their attention and resources?