SECOND ANNUAL
KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

CONFERENCE 2022

Somali Women in Higher Education, Research and Academia

Days
Hours
Min
The Conference has started!

Objectives

Welcome to the second annual knowledge exchange conference on Somali Women in Higher Education, Research and Academia 2022.

The annual knowledge exchange conference aims to explore and take stock of the situation of Somali women as well as explore perspectives, obstacles, best practices and opportunities in academia and in higher education. It aims at building skills and providing tools and information directly applicable to Somali women aspiring to be leaders in research and in academia. Somalia Gender Hub has since its launch in 2019 been a platform for Somali female researchers to present their research findings and an audience to listen to them. We are therefore excited that some of our speakers will share the findings from studies they previously conducted with us and with our audience. 

Our theme for this year is ‘Creating opportunities, building skills for Somali female researchers.’

The conference which will take place via Zoom on Tuesday the 27th of December 2022 from 9am to 4pm. We will share the link to the conference to only registered participants. Please register here https://ecv.microsoft.com/qFK2PskNSF.

Keynote speaker and speakers

Our Keynote Speaker is Professor Saida M. Abdi, PhD, LICSW, School of Social Work in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota. She is a trained clinician and an expert in refugee trauma and resilience. She earned her Ph.D. in Sociology and Social Work from Boston University. Dr. Abdi has worked for more than 20 years with refugee and immigrant youth and families. Her area of focus is building individual, family, and community resilience and improving mental health access and engagement among trauma-impacted refugee children and families. Dr. Abdi is a leader in the adaptation and implementation of Trauma Systems Therapy for Refugees (TST-R). Dr. Abdi is the clinical lead for multiple projects in North America and East Africa that support psychological healing for conflict-impacted youth. Dr. Abdi is the co-author of a recently published book, Mental Health Practice with Immigrant and Refugee Youth: A Socioecological Framework (American Psychological Association, 2020).


Programme agenda 

You can find the programme agenda here below.

The conference will consist of 4 interactive panels with breakout sessions – please see our program agenda attached for an overview of these panels. We have 10 speakers this year and they are from all sectors and disciplines – please program agenda for more info.We will be tweeting statements and powerful quotes from our speakers as they give their presentations using the hashtags: #womenheconf22 #Somalia #sgh2022 #engenderingresearch #womeninresearch. We will also be livestreaming on multiple channels, so kindly refer to our social media channels.


Community of practice & mailing list

We are building a community of practice of Somali women researchers, academics, writers of all genres and knowledge producers. We have put together a mailing list at Google Groups so that we can continue the discussion even after the conference and share your work and resources with others. If you are interested in joining this mailing list, kindly let us know by emailing to info@somaliagenderhub.org.

Meet the Speakers

Expert Speakers

Dr Holly Ritchie

ISS Erasmus University & Thrive for Change (Kenya)

Based in Kenya, Dr Holly Ritchie is a research fellow at the International Institute of Social Studies (Erasmus University, NL). She takes a special focus on gender, culture and institutions in ‘fragile’ economic development.

Read Biography >

Sahra Ahmed Koshin, PhD. Candidate

University of Copenhagen & University of Nairobi

Sahra Ahmed Koshin is a PhD. Candidate studying Gender & Somai Diaspora Humanitarianism in Complex Crisis at the University of Copenhagen & University of Nairobi. She is the also the founding director of the Somalia Gender Hub.

Read Biography >

Drs. Fardawsa Hersi

Mount Kenya University & JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research.

Dr. Hersi is a junior Family Physician, with an expertise on Hospital Management and Leadership. Dr. Hersi advocates for youth mental health and education.

Read Biography >

Mohamed Abdi Osman, MEd

Curriculum specialist, Ministry of Education and Science, Somaliland.

Mohamed Abdi Osman is an experienced educational consultant and Curriculum Specialist at the Ministry of Education and Science in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Mohamed is also a statistician who works as an independent researcher, focusing on wide range of socioeconomic context.

Read Biography >

Asma Abdulkadir Mohamed

Ministry of Education and Higher Education of, Puntland

Asma Abdulkadir Mohamed is a Senior Advisor for the Ministry of Education and Higher Education of Puntland. She is also a social activist with years of experience in establishing a functional planning, goal setting, and policy-related matters and M&E system for the education sector.

Read Biography >

Dr Mariam Haji Hussein Rabi

Clinical Coordinator, Health Poverty Action

Dr Mariam Haji Hussein Rabi is a Chevening scholar, Medical Doctor andholder of a Master of Public Health. Dr Mariam is an advocator for ending FGM and empowering women via education. She was also nominated for Women in Global Health Leadership (Somalia Chapter).

Read Biography >

Hafsa Nuradin Madow

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

Hafsa Nuradin Madow is a MSc student and Research Assistant at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. Hafsa has a Bachelor of Civil Engineering and has worked as water engineer for several years.

Read Biography >

Bahja Ali Mohamud

University of the Western Cape & Simad Ilab

Bahja Ali Mohamud is a postgraduate student at the University of Western Cape, South Africa, majoring in Development Studies. She is also the Head of Women Enterprises Development at Simad Ilab.

Read Biography >

Fihima Mohamed

Coordinator of Gender Alliance Djibouti and Founder of Geed Beer Rajo Beer

Fihima Mohamed Ismail is a Activist Farmer and Coordinator of the NGO Women Initiative. Fihima has a Master degree on Political Science and Refugees Studies. She is also an advocate of education, health and agriculture.

Read Biography >

Nuzaiba Abdullahi Ali

Gender Advisor, Ministry of Youth & Sports of the Federal Republic of Somalia

Nuzaiba is a Gender Advisor and social researcher with extensive experience in institutional strengthening, gender mainstreaming & women’s empowerment. Nuzaiba studied Development Studies at Cavendish University Uganda and has also worked on humanitarian issues in Somalia.

Read Biography >

Dr Idil Hassan

Researcher, Public Health Evidence and Intelligence Team at Hertfordshire County Council, UK.

Dr Idil Hassan is a Chartered Health Psychologist. She has a background in Public Health Research and Evaluations, Public Health Commissioning, Behaviour change intervention development, implementation and evaluation, Strategy and policy development.

Read Biography >

Programme

TIME

ACTIVITY

SPEAKER & TITLE

CONFERENCE STARTS

9:00 AM

Virtual conference starts & informal networking

Hosts

9:15 AM

Welcome & openings remarks

Sahra Ahmed Koshin, Director, Somalia Gender Hub

9:30 AM

Rationale and relevance of the conference and overview of Somalia Gender Hub

Sahra Ahmed Koshin, Director, Somalia Gender Hub

     


10:10 AM

Q&A AND DISCUSSION

Hosts & Speakers

     

THEME: INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING (SKILLS, POLICY, M&E, LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS IN HE)

10:40 AM

Gender in Education in Puntland: Policy and Practical Lessons learned

Asma Abdulkadir Mohamed, Director of Policy and Planning, Puntland Ministry of Education and Higher Education

11:00 AM

Gender, culture & institutions in Somalia: Insights from Gender Equality Profile

Dr Holly Ritchie, Founder of THRIVE and research fellow at the International Institute of Social Studies (Erasmus University)

11:20 AM

Gender equality in the health care workplace

Dr Mariam Haji Hussein Rabi, Clinical Coordinator, Health Poverty Action 

11:40 PM

Challenges women face in Higher Education and how they can be addressed

Nuzaiba Abdullahi Ali, Gender Advisor, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports of Somalia

12:00 PM

Q&A AND DISCUSSION

Hosts & Speakers

     

12:30 PM

BREAK

 

     

THEME: PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT (FUNDING, PUBLISHING, FELLOWSHIPS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP)

   

13:05 PM

Entrepreneurs and Female-owned enterprises in Somalia

Bahja Ali Mohamud, Head of Women Enterprises Development, SIMAD Lab, Simad University, Mogadishu, Somalia

13:20 PM

Women in Higher Education and their contributions to the society and social transformation

Dr Fardawsa Hersi, Junior Family Physician

13:35 PM

Q&A AND DISCUSSION

Hosts & Speakers

     

THEME: WOMEN IN STEM (VARIETY OF SECTORS OR FIELD OF STUDY, STEM, SOCIAL SCIENCES ETC)

14:05 PM

Female Farmers, Djibouti Women Initiative – Geed Beer Rajo Beer

Fihima Mohamed Ismail, Coordinator of Gender Alliance Djibouti and Founder of Geed Beer Rajo Beer

14:20 PM

Women in STEM: Research ‘Suitable sites for water harvesting in Baidoa, Southwest State of Somalia’

Hafsa Nuradin Madow, Research Assistant, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

14:40 PM

Somali women in research, scholarly publishing and dissemination in Somalia: Challenges and Opportunities

Sahra Ahmed Koshin, Director, Somalia Gender Hub

15:00 PM

Somali women and cultural and gender-related barriers to accessing health care provision

Dr. Idil Hussain, Chartered Health Psychologist and Public Health Researcher

15:20 pM

Assessing the Major Factors Affecting Female Students Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Eastern Educational Zone Hargeisa, Somaliland

Mr Mohamed Abdi, Consultant, Somaliland National Curriculum Developent, Ministry of Education and Science

     

15:50 PM

BREAK

 

16:05 PM

Q&A AND DISCUSSION

Hosts & Speakers

16:15 PM

Summary of major Conference outcomes, action points and way forward 

Sahra Ahmed Koshin, Director, Somalia Gender Hub

     

16:20 PM

CLOSING REMARKS AND APPRECIATION

Sahra Ahmed Koshin, Director, Somalia Gender Hub

     

16:30 PM

END OF THE CONFERENCE

Sahra Ahmed Koshin + All speakers

Registration

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Days
Hours
Min
Sec

SECOND ANNUAL
KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

CONFERENCE 2022

Somali Women in Higher Education,
Research and Academia

Don't forget to register by clicking the button below!