Eva Cox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eva Cox
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Eva Maria Hauser
21 February 1938 Vienna, Austria
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| Nationality | Australian |
| Education | University of New South Wales (1974, B.A. in sociology) |
| Occupation | Researcher, women's rights activist |
| Known for | Founding member of the Women's Electoral Lobby |
| Political party | Labor (until the 1980s) |
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Eva Maria Cox is an important Australian writer, feminist, and activist. She was born in Austria in 1938. Eva Cox has worked hard to create a "more civil" society. This means a society where people are kind and fair to each other.
She was a long-time member of the Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL). This group works to improve things for women. Eva Cox still works for change. She wants people to value social contributions and wellbeing more. She also sees how First Nations values and feminist ideas are similar. Both care about the importance of community and social connections.
Contents
Early Life and Moving to Australia
Eva Maria Hauser was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1938. This was just before the Anschluss, when Germany took over Austria. This event made her and her family stateless, meaning they had no country.
The next year, she traveled to England with her mother, Ruth. Her father, Richard Hauser, joined the British Army. After World War II, her father worked for the United Nations. Eva went to school in Rome, Italy, for two years. In 1948, she moved to Sydney, Australia, to live with her mother's family.
In Sydney, Eva went to Sydney Girls' High School. She later attended the University of Sydney. There, she met other famous people like Germaine Greer and Robert Hughes. Eva decided to travel in Europe. She met John Cox and they got married. In 1964, they had a daughter named Rebecca.
Career and Activism
In the early 1970s, Eva Cox returned to university. She was a single mother at the time. She earned a degree in Sociology from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in 1974. After graduating, she worked as a tutor and researcher.
Fighting for Women's Rights
In the 1970s, Eva Cox became a spokesperson for the Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL). This group works to make sure women's voices are heard in politics. She also helped start the Women's Economic Think Tank. From 1977 to 1981, she led the New South Wales Council for Social Service (NCOSS). She also received a Churchill Fellowship in 1980.
During the 1980s, Eva Cox was part of the feminist magazine Refractory Girl. She often spoke to the media about women's issues and anti-war topics. She also created the first government-funded after-school childcare center in Paddington, New South Wales.
Advisory Roles and Teaching
In the early 1980s, Eva Cox advised Senator Don Grimes. He was a Federal Shadow Minister for Social Services. In 1989, she started her own company, Distaff Associates. From 1994 to 2007, she taught at Australia's University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). She became the program director of social inquiry there.
A Truly Civil Society
In 1995, Eva Cox gave the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Boyer Lectures. These are important talks given by leading Australians. Her talks were called "A Truly Civil Society." She talked about the importance of "social capital." This means the value of connections and trust between people in a community. Her book Leading Women came out the next year. It looked at how power relates to gender. She writes many articles for Crikey and The Conversation.
From 2007 to 2015, Eva Cox was a Fellow at the Centre for Policy Development. She also became a professorial fellow at Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at UTS. There, she works on social policy. She continues to lead Distaff Associates. She also convenes the Women's Equity Think Tank (WETTANK).
In 2014, Eva Cox became a patron of Touching Base. This group helps people with disabilities. In 2015, she supported the campaign to save public housing in Millers Point.
Honours and Awards
Eva Cox has received many awards for her work. In 1995, she was made an Officer (AO) of the Order of Australia. This was for her great work helping women. In 1997, she was named Humanist of the Year.
In 2011, Australia Post honored her with a Legends Award. Her face appeared on a postage stamp. This stamp was part of a series honoring women who fought for gender equality. Other women on these stamps included Germaine Greer, Elizabeth Evatt, and Anne Summers.
Personal Life
Eva Cox became more aware of her Jewish background after moving to Australia. She is an agnostic and a humanist. This means she believes in human values and reason. She lives in Sydney, Australia.
She wants to make society more civil, fair, and equal. She believes in feminism and less focus on just making money. Eva Cox says her father used to ask what she had done to "save the world that day." She thinks this might be why she feels she should try to fix things that are wrong.
See also
In Spanish: Eva Cox para niños
