Diana Mpyisi

Founder and Managing Director

Blue Oceans

Ms. Mpyisi created Blue Oceans to meet the need for content by Rwandans about Rwandans. She hosts The Square, a current affairs show on Rwanda Television. She has 20 years’ experience in communication management roles ranging from Project Implementation, to Journalism and Communications, Speechwriting, Knowledge Management in Youth Empowerment, Events and Protocol, and High Level Conference Facilitation and Documentary and TV Production. Some of her previous roles include Director for Communication and Protocol in the Office of the First Lady of Rwanda and English news anchor at Rwanda Television. She has written for many publications across Africa.

Event Schedule

DAY 1

18 July 2023

Start Time	End Time	Session	Description	Action
02:30 pm EEST	04:00 pm EEST	Raising up Women’s and Girls’ Voices in the Movement to Localize Development Concurrent Room MH 2-2	In the last decade, multilateral development agencies have begun recognizing how essential local organizations are to effective humanitarian, development, and Read More In the last decade, multilateral development agencies have begun recognizing how essential local organizations are to effective humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding work. Yet a challenge to localization is the limited engagement of local and national actors in setting the agenda and priorities. Actors based in the Global North continue to set priorities. Women’s rights organizations have also experienced limited engagement. We must examine how these organizations, based in their communities, feature in localization – and what the agenda means for girls, women, and other marginalized populations. The session will present the context and start mapping pathways toward inclusive localization plans. Session format: Learning from failure Organized by Rwanda Women’s Network, Trócaire, WomenStrong International Read Less Speakers Rene Christian (Chris) Umukunzi Localisation and Partnership Manager Trócaire Rwanda Susan M. Blaustein Founder and Executive Director WomenStrong International Mary Balikungeri Executive Director Rwanda Women's Network Diana Mpyisi Founder and Managing Director Blue Oceans Ineza Umuhoza Grace Founder The Green Protector