Lyna Mohamad
Global Awareness and Impact Alliance (GAIA) consultant and co-founder Pengiran Dr Nur Asyura binti Pengiran Haji Mohd Salleh underscored the GAIA’s roles, among which included raising awareness on pressing issues and contributing to impactful policy solutions as well as to foster intellectual thinking among Bruneian youth.
She made these comments during a discussion on ‘In the Middle: A Dialogue on Women in Foreign Policy’ at the Event Space in Kiulap on Saturday.
In line with GAIA’s goal towards empowering thought and generating change, the dialogue featured comparative insights through improvised prompts to stimulate an organic discussion relating to women in the field of international relations and foreign policy by experts.
It was also mentioned that women’s inclusion and participation in foreign policy have been known to contribute to longer lasting peace.
Also highlighted was how factors such as race, gender identity and socioeconomic class intersect and exacerbate gender inequalities in foreign policy where both the audience and the speakers recognised the importance of addressing gender issues on a systemic level to guarantee positive and sustainable outcomes at all levels of society.
A number of diplomats designated to Brunei Darussalam delivered talks including Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Luke Arnold, High Commissioner of Canada to Brunei Darussalam Ambra Dickie and United States Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Caryn McClelland.
Moderated by Qayyimah Al-Zelzy and joined by GAIA volunteer research associates, Nafisa Halim and Siuu Tzyy Wei, the dialogue acknowledged that while there has been a persistent pattern of overrepresentation of men in diplomacy, there is a marked increase in the number of women involved in diplomacy and peacekeeping processes.
