Jacqueline Pascarl

Jacqueline Pascarl's Biography

Jacqueline Pascarl is an experienced CEO in the NGO/NFP sector who consults widely in the sphere of media relations and digital communications.  She has worked in radio, television, marketing and as a documentary filmmaker — her productions include the award-winning documentary Empty Arms – Broken Hearts.

The personal tragedy of Jacqueline’s children's abduction was the catalyst to become a human rights advocate and humanitarian aid worker. Over the past 20 years has raised $40 million dollars in humanitarian aid and relief, while establishing a child literacy project in Kenya and assisting Nelson Mandela to do the same in South Africa.

Jacqueline has worked in war zones around the globe caring for the vulnerable and appointed an ambassador to His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Jacqueline is the recipient of the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal

In 1995, Jacqueline established ‘Operation Book Power’ in Kenya, a child literacy initiative building community libraries and schools throughout Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe, later expanding into South Africa (where she was special advisor to President Nelson Mandela on the structuring of his READ Educational Trust). In 1998, she was appointed Special Ambassador for CARE International and worked as an emergency aid worker in the war zones of Bosnia, Kosovo and East Timor.

She is recognised internationally as an expert on the Hague Convention and International Parental Child Abduction, and has lectured at the US State Department and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as the European Union and the International Congress on Family Law and the Rights of Children, chaired by Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Awarded the United Nations Special Commendation for the International Year of the Family, and two recognition awards from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, USA, Jacqueline has been a high-profile international lobbyist on human rights, women’s rights and refugee issues.

In recognition of her humanitarian work, Jacqueline was appointed a patron of CARE International in January 2007.  Sitting on several charitable boards, Ms Pascarl has been a regular columnist for the London Times and Fairfax newspapers and her best selling books are published in 28 languages.

She conceived Operation Angel to champion the needs of women and children in war and disaster zones and continues this relief work in Australia and regionally during times of natural disaster and emergency, alongside her scores of volunteers. For her efforts in the aftermath of Queensland’s recent cyclones and floods, she was given that State’s Disaster Hero Medal.

Nominated four times for Australian of the Year, she was awarded the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal in 2012 by the Governor General of Australia for her work in conflict zones – the first female recipient (and holds two clasps of this award – Balkans and East Timor)

Jacqueline has recently been appointed as the first woman National Vice Chair, Australian Defence Force Reserves Support Council (Executive) and Chair of Clinical Research, Endocrinology at theRoyal Children’s Hospital.

In another life, she was better known as Princess Yasmin of Malaysia and rose to international prominence when her two eldest children became victims of parental abduction – they were held hostage for over fourteen years, during which time, she battled tirelessly for their return in addition to assisting in the safe and legal repatriation of over 380 abducted children around the globe. She is a proud feminist and mother of four children aged 32 – 12 years of age and a grandmother of two.  She writes daily, bakes and generally tries to dance just for the hell of it.

With over 20 years of key executive leadership and Board roles in Australia and internationally, working within the NFP and Humanitarian sector of large and small organisations, Jacqueline is keen to continue leading, supporting and implementing sustainable positive change for Australian charities, social and community welfare and humanitarian aid and development, in addition to extending her board directorships.

A single spark of an idea and a tenacious woman is all it takes to change the world and make a difference. Jacqueline Pascal turned the personal tragedy of her children's abduction into the catalyst to become a human rights advocate and humanitarian aid worker, and over the past 20 years has raised $38 million dollars in humanitarian aid and relief, along the way establishing a child literacy project in Kenya and assisting Nelson Mandela to do the same in South Africa. She has worked in war zones around the globe caring for the vulnerable and is an award winning documentary producer and author. Appointed as an ambassador to His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Jacqueline is the recipient of the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal.

Jacqueline has performed numerous charitable and corporate engagements across Australia & Internationally on Humanitarian Aid for the United Nations, European Union, UNESCO Paris, Hong Kong Family Law Association, the European Parliament, British Embassy – Washington DC USA, International Family Conference, State Department – USA, World Congresses on Family Law and the Rights of Children (USA, South Africa & Argentina), the British Embassy – Humanitarian Aid and its Practical Applications, Inaugural Congress on Parental Child Abduction for Latin America, Leadership Tasmania, Make a Wish  Foundation, Black & White Committee, Jewish Community Appeal, Early Childhood Education Australia, Mars Foods, Ernst  Young, Commonwealth Bank, Lasallian Foundation, the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Women’s Cancer Foundation.