WIIS New York-UN Working Group
About
The UN Working Group of WIIS-NY aims to engage and amplify the voices of women working in peace and security at the United Nations, Permanent Missions and affiliated INGOs. WIIS-NY’s UN Working Group seeks to create a dedicated platform for women* in this arena to share and promote their expertise, create networks, and contribute to critical debates on peace and security, women’s leadership and the future of the United Nations.
* All persons identifying as women are welcome
Rationale
With the creation of the UN Working Group of WIIS-NY, we seek to respond to pivotal developments in the peace and security work of the United Nations. The changing dynamics of conflict require a reform of the UN’s tools and capabilities to make them better suited to meet new complex security challenges and maintain the Organization’s global relevance. Following three major reviews initiated in 2015, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will be launching a number of important reform initiatives in this area. At the same time, the Secretary-General has declared gender parity and women’s leadership in the international arena, including in the area of peace and security, a priority. At this important moment of change and reform, WIIS-NY’s UN Working Group will reflect on and promote women’s contributions to shaping the way forward in the UN’s work in the area of peace and security. In doing so, the UN Working Group of WIIS-NY will (i) promote WIIS and advance its goals at the United Nations and among the diplomatic community; (ii) create a network of women working on issues related to the United Nations peace and security pillar; (iii) advance women’s leadership and contribute to a more inclusive and effective United Nations peace and security community.
Leadership
Dr. Aleksandra Dier currently works as a political officer for the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Conflict Prevention. Aleksandra previously held several other positions at the United Nations, including in the areas of peacekeeping, counter-terrorism and sanctions. She has also served in UN field missions in Afghanistan and Burundi. Prior to joining the United Nations, Aleksandra was a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Security Studies in Zurich, Switzerland. She also worked in several other think tanks in Europe, including the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin and the International Institute for Security Studies (IISS) in London. Aleksandra received her PhD in International Relations from the University of Oxford.
Aleksandra can be contacted at [email protected]
Tamara Anderson is an international security expert currently working as a Policy Officer and in the Office the Under-Secretary-General for the United Nations Department of Safety and Security, where she also serves as the Department’s Gender Adviser. She has previously served as a Special Assistant to the Under-Secretary-General, as well as a Senior Security Analyst in Pakistan, Indonesia and for the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Tamara worked as a Counter-Terrorism analyst and investigator for the Australian Government and has two BAs (International Relations and Asian Studies) from the Australian National University and an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the London University.
Tamara can be contacted at [email protected]
Contact
Email: [email protected]
Highlighted Events
A Women’s Way: Empowerment Through Voice
This public speaking workshop was led by Alisa Endsley, a professional actress, singer and teacher as well as the founder of Sing for the Stage and Sing for Your Soul vocal studios.
Women’s voices are chronically underrepresented in the media, corporate board rooms and leadership positions throughout the peace and security community. “A Woman’s Way,” in partnership with WIIS-NY, is seeking to change this by giving women the tools and techniques needed to identify, embrace and empower their authentic speaking voices.
The workshop demonstrated how to unlock communication potential and address the disconnect between how women feel they are expected to speak and how they naturally voice opinions. The workshop introduced practices and exercises that incorporate “active imagination,” archetypal awareness and vocal and breath techniques. Each participant was given specific tools that can be used on a daily basis to help shift perceptions of the self and access the authentic, empowered voice.
For more information contact WIIS-NY President, Christina Madden at [email protected]