March 25, 2022

1:00 – 3:00 pm EST


Context

The WPSN-C Anti-Racism Group was formed in July 2020.

The purpose of the group is as follows: 

  • To foster membership engagement in the intersections of anti-racism, decolonization and the women, peace, and security agenda.  
  • To facilitate forums and discussion opportunities within the membership on the intersections of anti-racism, decolonization and the women, peace, and security agenda.  
  • To explore, broaden and strengthen the skill-set and practice of the WPSN in relation to the intersections of anti-racism, decolonization and the women, peace, and security agenda.  
  • To create broader public engagement and awareness on the intersections of anti-racism. 

Objective of virtual discussion

The purpose of the event is to have an initial discussion to gather Network sentiment, perceptions, ideas, and capacities on the WPS agenda and intersections of anti-racism and decolonization.


Agenda

All times EDT
1:00-1:10pmWelcome
1:10-1:55pmPanel Discussion
Tiyahna Ridley-Padmore, World Vision Canada
Siham Rayale, Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS)
Sahada Alolo, Canada for Africa  Group and Ottawa Muslim Women’s Organization
1:55-2:05pmBreak
2:05-2:45pmSmall group discussions
2:45-2:55pmClosing plenary
2:55-3:00pmWrap up

Panelists

Tiyahna Ridley-Padmore, World Vision Canada

Tiyahna is an author, a policy advisor at World Vision Canada specializing in social inclusion, and the co-chair of Cooperation Canada’s Anti-Racism Taskforce. She holds training in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion from the University of British Columbia, an MA in Public Policy, Administration and Law from York University, and a BA in Political Science from the University of Ottawa.


Siham Rayale, Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS)

Dr. Siham Rayale (PhD) has over a decade of experience working on and developing global policy and programming that promotes women’s political and economic empowerment. Siham’s research and advocacy has focused on issues relating to women, peace and security with an emphasis on legal reform in conflict and post-conflict contexts.

Siham has extensive experience working in complex humanitarian environments and leading research that promotes feminist social transformation and foreign policy. Siham has worked in the non-profit sector and academia where she taught courses focusing on development theory and praxis. She has a Masters in Development from York University, an LLM from Osgoode Hall at York University, and a PhD from SOAS.


Sahada Alolo, Canada for Africa  Group and Ottawa Muslim Women’s Organization

Sahada is the Manager of Community Engagement and Volunteers at Multifaith Housing Initiative working with different faith communities to promote affordable housing. She is the president of the Ottawa Muslim Women’s Organization, an Executive Member of the African Canadian Association of Ottawa, co-chair for the Canada for Africa Group, and a board member of the Snow Suit Fund. 

She is also the co-chair of the Community Equity Council of the Ottawa Police Service and serves on the City of Ottawa Anti-Racism Advisory Table. Sahada is the founder and president of the Northern Girl initiative, an organization that seeks to create and facilitate processes and opportunities for the empowerment of girls from the Northern Region of Ghana. 

Sahada earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana with a major in English language and comparative religious studies, a Master’s degree in human service specializing in nonprofit management, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Creighton University, U.S.A.


Background Reading

Race, Justice and New Possibilities: 20 Years of the Women, Peace and Security agenda (Toni Haastrup, Jamie J Hagen) July 28th, 2020

On the necessity of critical race feminism for women, peace and security (Marsha Henry) 2021

Inclusion is Not Enough to Achieve Gender and Racial Equality in Global Peace and Security (Signe Marie Cold-Ravnkilde, Marsha Henry, Robin May Schott & Nina Wilén) December 2021