The Victorian Refugee Network and Victorian Women’s Rights Defenders Network bring to the public My New Neighbour campaign conversations on the intersectionality of refugees. Our speakers will be sharing their lived experiences as advocates and refugees. This panel is to bring to light the varying degrees of refugee experiences and to support change for those seeking refuge in Australia.
The panellists will share their experiences and then there will be time for a moderated Q&A afterwards. This event is held online via Zoom.
Panellists:
Lizzy Kuoth left Sudan with her family as a teenager and came to Melbourne. She is currently the Inclusion Capability Officer at the Level Crossings Removal Project as well as working on the Victorian State Government initiative the Metropolitan Partnerships program.
Mary-Woo Sims is the former Chief Human Rights Commissioner of the British Columbia Human Rights Commission in Canada. She has a long history of fighting for the rights of the LGBTQ2SI+ or what she prefers to call the Rainbow community. Mary-Woo is currently writing her memoirs and a book based on her mother’s life.
Originally from Afghanistan, Shabnam Safa has previously worked at the Centre for Multicultural Youth designing and delivering programs for migrant and refugee youth and is currently part of a small national team at the Community Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (CRSI).
As seen with the crisis in Afghanistan, when the global refugee crisis has heightened, we must be doing everything we can to resettle more refugees through our humanitarian intake. The Australian government’s Community Sponsorship Program needs to be reformed.
In collaboration with the My New Neighbour campaign that supports reform of this program, our panellists will be sharing their experience seeking refuge and advocating for change.
This event is in partnership with the Victorian Refugee Rights Network and Victorian Women’s Rights Defenders Network. This event is also in coordination with Amnesty Australia’s My New Neighbour Campaign in its aim to improve Australia’s refugee policies and its Community Sponsorship Program.
Facebook Event here.
6pm Vic, NSW, ACT, Tas | 5pm Qld | 5.30pm SA | 4.30pm NT | 3pm WA
