Sharanya Sekaram

Global Women's Movements Engagement Lead

VOICE

Sharanya Sekaram is a Policy and Advocacy Consultant who is currently working with VOICE – a global feminist humanitarian organization – as their Global Women’s Movements Engagement Team Lead based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sharanya holds an LLB (Hons) from Staffordshire University and a Masters in Conflict and Peace Studies from the University of Colombo, she is also currently reading for a MA in Women and Gender Studies at the University of Colombo. She is passionate about the democratization of information and resources, as well as access to networks and spaces and co-founded a feminist collective called Everystory Sri Lanka.

Event Schedule

DAY 1

19 July 2023

Start Time	End Time	Session	Description	Action
10:30 am EEST	12:00 pm EEST	Reframing Systems: Centering Women’s and girls’ leadership in Humanitarian Action Concurrent Room MH 3-1	This event will provide a space for co-creative multi-stakeholder reflection on the challenges and opportunities faced by Women-Led Organisations (WLO), including those Read More This event will provide a space for co-creative multi-stakeholder reflection on the challenges and opportunities faced by Women-Led Organisations (WLO), including those with lived experiences of forced displacement. Through interactive scenarios, participants will discuss barriers and opportunities that impact the effectiveness of localisation efforts, including system transformation, equitable representation, access to resources, identity and lived experience and transnational feminist solidarity. Using “all parts of the system”, participants will problem-solve and identify key opportunities for next steps. The session will conclude with a call-to-action discussion focusing on innovative solutions and opportunities, including the 2023 Global Refugee Forum for joint pledges. Session format: Whole System in a Room Organized by UNHCR and VOICE Read Less Speakers Diana Rodríguez Franco Secretary of Women's Affairs City Government of Bogotá Sharanya Sekaram Global Women's Movements Engagement Lead VOICE
04:30 pm EEST	06:00 pm EEST	Stories of Girls’ Resistance: Shifting narratives, power, and the world Concurrent Room AD 10-2	This session will bring together story curators, storytellers and artists to discuss what this collection of stories tells us about girls’ resistance over time, space, Read More This session will bring together story curators, storytellers and artists to discuss what this collection of stories tells us about girls’ resistance over time, space, and identity. Using storytelling techniques, participants will have the opportunity to explore their own stories of resistance and connect their stories to social change. Together we will unpack this collective narrative, and what it tells us about how change happens, the practices needing to shift to better support girls’ activism, and collectively co-create an advocacy agenda for how this narrative can translate to a freer, fairer and safer present and future for and by girls. Session format: Thought Leadership & Storytelling Organized by Stories of Girls’ Resistance, Eyala, Caribbean Girls Collective, Shake the Table International Sign Language available for this session Read Less Speakers Anisie Byukusenge Program Assistant Purposeful Sharanya Sekaram Global Women's Movements Engagement Lead VOICE Ruby Johnson Gender Justice Consultant / Co-Lead Global Resilience Fund Purposeful Jody Myrum - Stories of Girls' Resistance Valerie Honore Director and Community Engagement Officer I Have A Right Foundation (Dominica) and Caribbean Girls Collective Shazia Usman Communications Specialist / Storyteller / Writer UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office / Stories of Girls Resistance Françoise Moudouthe CEO African Women's Development Fund