We speak to people who don’t just talk about change - they design the legal tools, policy infrastructure, funding mechanisms, and frontline systems that make it possible.
Our guests span disciplines: from law and public health to philanthropy, activism, data science, and diplomacy. What unites them is a shared commitment to working at the root of problems, translating vision into action, and navigating power with intention.
In each conversation, we ask:
What tension are you navigating? What principles shape your response when resistance – or compromise – becomes unavoidable? What do you know about power, persuasion, or system design that others might not? What are the barriers that people don’t talk about - and the breakthroughs that don’t get written up?
This series is for anyone working to fund, build, or scale ideas that advance gender justice. Launched as an independent editorial project, On Theory is shaped by the belief that good ideas become powerful when we share them. We are just getting started, and we’re glad you’re with us.
About the Founder and Editor
On Theory was founded by Dr Janani Shanthosh — a lawyer and researcher specialising in gender, health, and human rights. She holds appointments as an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales and as an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health.
Her work bridges treaty bodies, policy reform, and data-driven advocacy, including the development of the CEDAW Index — a digital accountability tool tracking the implementation of international women’s rights around the world. On Theory continues that work by surfacing the frameworks and decision-making tools behind systems change.