Moala Advisory · v1.0

Gender · Political Economy · Research · International Development

Insight for
equity in a
complex world.

Moala Global · International Advisory

Gender analysis, political economy analysis, intersectional research, and evidence synthesis for DFAT, UN agencies, international NGOs, and global universities — grounded in direct experience at the UN Security Council, UN Women, Cardno International Development, and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre. Published researcher with 26 Google Scholar citations. Development Intelligence Lab consultant bench.

Start a conversation Our services
01

Context

Understanding systems, institutions, and norms

02

Power

Mapping incentives, barriers, and drivers of change

03

Equity

Applying gender and intersectional lenses

04

Action

Clear, ethical, evidence-based strategies

What we do

Specialist services for
global development.

Rigorous, culturally grounded, and evidence-based analysis that supports policy, program design, and strategic decision-making in complex international contexts.

Political Economy Analysis (PEA)

Core service

Understanding power, institutions, incentives, and context to inform development programs, policy design, and strategic decision-making. PEA reveals the formal and informal dynamics that shape outcomes — and what needs to change.

Country & sector PEA Power mapping Stakeholder analysis Governance dynamics Drivers of change Policy implications

Gender Analysis

Core service

Supporting gender-responsive policy and programming across international development contexts. From rapid gender analyses to full gender mainstreaming strategies, our work identifies barriers, opportunities, and pathways to equality.

Gender norms analysis Barriers & opportunities Program design Gender mainstreaming Equality strategies MEL alignment

Intersectional Analysis

Specialist

Understanding how gender, race, Indigeneity, disability, class, age, and sexuality intersect to shape outcomes. Essential for inclusive program design, human rights alignment, and equity-centred policy.

Intersectional frameworks Equity analysis Inclusive design Human rights alignment Disability inclusion

Literature Reviews & Evidence Synthesis

Research

High-quality research synthesis for policy, programs, and academic work. From rapid reviews to full systematic reviews, we turn complex literature into clear, decision-ready insights.

Rapid reviews Systematic reviews Scoping reviews Annotated bibliographies Evidence synthesis Policy briefs

International Development Advisory

Advisory

Supporting DFAT, UN agencies, and NGOs with program design, MEL frameworks, policy briefs, and strategic analysis. Analytical support that strengthens programs, reduces risk, and improves outcomes.

Program design MEL frameworks Policy briefs DFAT bid support Human rights analysis

Indigenous & Pacific Research

Specialist

Culturally grounded, community-led research methodologies rooted in Pacific and Indigenous ways of knowing, and relational approaches that centre community voice, ethics, and accountability.

Community-led methodology Relational ethics Community engagement Pacific research synthesis Ethical frameworks

Our framework

The Moala Global
Method.

Stage 01

Context

A grounded understanding of the system before any analysis begins.

  • Literature review
  • Country context
  • Historical dynamics
  • Institutional mapping
  • Cultural & social norms

Stage 02

Power

A clear picture of who holds power, why, and what drives change.

  • Political economy analysis
  • Power mapping
  • Incentives & constraints
  • Gender norms
  • Intersectional barriers

Stage 03

Equity

A nuanced understanding of inequity, opportunity, and inclusion.

  • Gender analysis
  • Intersectional analysis
  • Human rights frameworks
  • Indigenous methodologies
  • Community perspectives

Stage 04

Action

Clear, actionable, ethical strategies that decision-makers can use.

  • Policy recommendations
  • Program design
  • MEL frameworks
  • Risk analysis
  • Implementation pathways

Who we work with

Clients across
the global system.

DFAT & Government

PEA, gender analysis, program design, and bid support — including direct experience managing DFAT, ADB, and CDC Group tenders at Cardno International Development.

UN Agencies

Direct experience at the UN Security Council (WPS) as a Policy Research Fellow, with UN Women (violent extremism research), and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre.

International NGOs

Research, gender analysis, and policy synthesis for international NGOs — including the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security delivering recommendations directly to the UNSC.

Universities & Research

Academic research partnerships including UN Women/Monash University (violent extremism), and Honours research in international development and anthropology (La Trobe, 2026).

Indigenous & Pacific

National consultations with Indigenous educators and stakeholders at AITSL, development of the Indigenous Cultural Competency Discussion Paper, and engagement with IndigenousX and NIYEC.

Consultancy Partners

Subcontracting and specialist support for international development firms — with direct prior experience at Cardno International Development managing competitive bids across Asia-Pacific.

About Moala Global

Insight, equity,
global context.

Moala Global provides gender analysis, political economy analysis, intersectional research, and evidence synthesis for international development — grounded in direct, hands-on experience across the global development system.

Aydon's international career spans a Policy Research Fellowship at the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security — delivering monthly recommendations directly to the UN Security Council and attending UNSC meetings as an observer — through to managing DFAT, ADB, and CDC Group bid processes at Cardno International Development, conducting political economy research across Asia-Pacific, and producing policy analysis on violent extremism with UN Women and Monash University.

An Honours thesis in international development and anthropology (La Trobe University, 2026) and a Master of International Relations (University of Queensland) underpin a rigorous, ethically grounded analytical practice.

  • Equity Every engagement is grounded in a genuine commitment to gender equality, human rights, and inclusive outcomes.
  • Integrity Ethical methodologies, honest analysis, and transparent reasoning in all research and advisory work.
  • Evidence Rigorous, systematic, and transparent approaches to research, synthesis, and analysis.
  • Respect Culturally aware, community-centred, and relationally grounded in all engagement.

Aydon Edwards

Principal — Moala Global

An international development researcher and analyst with direct experience at the UN Security Council (past Policy Research Fellow, NGO Working Group on WPS), UN Women, the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (Accra, Ghana), Monash Global Peace and Security Centre, and Cardno International Development.

Published research includes: The Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the CAR: Implications for MINUSCA and the Samba Panza Interim Government (KAIPTC Policy Brief, 2014) — kaiptc.org/publications/policy-briefs; Economic Empowerment and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in United Nations Peacekeeping (Academia.edu); and It's a Man's World: The Effect of Traditional Masculinity on Gender Equality (E-International Relations, 2015 — 26 Google Scholar citations). Former Associate Editor, E-International Relations. Contributing writer, Australian Institute of International Affairs. Registered expert, Media Diversity Australia. Senior Analyst and Program Manager, Development Intelligence Lab consultant bench.

Past experience includes advising private sector clients on Indigenous Australian hiring practices and consulting with Indigenous Australian education experts to present recommendations for improving cultural competency in the Australian education workforce.

Aydon is Autistic and ADHD. Moala Global's research and analytical workflows are built specifically around how he thinks — pattern recognition across complex evidence, sustained analytical focus, and systematic methodology. These are not accommodations. They are the practice.

Honours in International Development and Anthropology (La Trobe University, 2026). Master of International Relations, University of Queensland.

Research methodologies

PEA Indigenous Cultural Competency Private Sector Inclusion Systematic Review Rapid Gender Analysis Intersectional Analysis Power Mapping Program Evaluation Human Rights Approach Community-led Research

Published research

E-IR 2015 — 26 citations ↗ DRC SEA paper ↗ NGOWG profile ↗ Google Scholar ↗

Pricing

Rates calibrated for
international clients.

Pricing is calibrated to DFAT, UN, NGO, and university expectations — reflecting senior expertise, ethical rigour, and high-quality analytical outputs.

Detailed pricing, including day rates, fixed-price project estimates, and retainer options, is available on request. Please get in touch to discuss your project scope and timeline.

To request pricing information, please get in touch using the contact details below.

Insights

Thinking on gender,
power and policy.

Short pieces on gender analysis, political economy, and international development — for practitioners doing real work in the field.

Insights home

Read the latest insights.

Pieces on gender analysis, political economy, AI governance, and international development — published at insights.moalaglobal.com.

Read the insights →

Stay across gender, development & policy thinking

Quarterly insight email — one gender or PEA observation, one piece of published work worth reading, one sector update. No marketing. Unsubscribe any time.

Newsletter coming soon — check back here or follow on LinkedIn for updates.

Also on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aydon-edwards

Get in touch

Ready to start
a conversation?

Whether you have an upcoming research project, program design need, or tender requiring specialist gender or PEA expertise — get in touch directly.

Get in touch using the contact details listed here.

Response time

Within 48 hours

All enquiries responded to within 48 hours. For urgent matters, call directly.

What to include

A brief description of your project, the service you need, your timeline, and any budget parameters. Pricing is provided on request.

Available from

Now

Currently accepting enquiries and engagements.

Moala Global is a trading name of Aydon Edwards  ·  ABN 41 413 837 104  ·  Registered with ASIC  ·  GST registered  ·  Victoria, Australia