Student Stories
MAIS student Tanjila Afrin attends Research Network on Women, Peace and Security symposium
By Tanjila Afrin
This summer I attended the three-day , held at the University of Saskatchewan and a few other locations. The symposium brought together scholars, Indigenous leaders, activists, NGO workers, and other professionals from across Canada and beyond to share insights regarding how women around the world, including Indigenous and other women in Canada, experience structural violence in multiple, varied ways, and how the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda can be implemented.
The event aligned with my graduate studies as an MA student in International Studies at SFU and my co-op employment with Jordan鈥檚 Principle, Indigenous Services Canada. I presented some of my master鈥檚 research concerning Rohingya Muslim refugee women鈥檚 experiences in Malaysia, and as a participant and note-taker, I was able to learn more about injustices experienced by Indigenous women in Canada and the intersectional challenges affecting women globally. I鈥檓 grateful for this powerful learning experience, which was funded by Professor Megan MacKenzie, one of the three co-directors of Canada鈥檚 WPS network.