Wandering the UN, and a sisterly soiree!

Today I really focused my time within the UN building amongst incredible side session. As I was discussing with Maya, the knowledge that anyone and everyone you pass in the halls, that you sit beside and stand next to in elevators, is likely a leader and powerful advocate for one cause or another.

 I started out today with a side session packed to the brim on the Gender Perspective on Refugee Responses. The refugee crisis has amplified to astronomical levels, and as such, the negative health and well-being outcomes for these asylum-seekers associated with fleeing persecution in their home states, sink to unthinkable lows. The familiar narrative emerges, while crises affect all genders, women and children experience the worst of the worst. I knew that the Syrian Crisis has displaced many, but I was unaware of the fact that 60 million displaced people are currently in our world today, and I was unaware that that is the highest it has been in the course of history. Leaders spoke of horrors that exacerbate the negative outcomes for female displaces people, describing that many links along the line of fleeing and resettling in a country are opportunities to experience gender based violence. Much of the anxiety that leaders from countries who host refugees comes from concern about what social outcomes in five, ten years time will come from the constrained resources they are experiencing with such a sudden influx of people. I thought this was such an interesting concern, and extremely valid.

We rounded out the evening in style! We attended the NGO CSW Reception, and mixed and mingled with the many accredited organization leaders who are affecting change all over the world. I got to test out my networking skills, and made a few friends along the way. This fellowship has not only allowed me to gain incredible in-depth knowledge of my research topic with undocumented women and sexual assault care, but I have also gained self-assurance and public speaking abilities that I could not have imagined! I am so grateful for all of the new connections I have made, and the newfound confidence I have accrued during this fellowship.