South West Asia & North Africa (SWANA)

Affinity Group

Rachel Boveja, PhD, Co-Chair

Layla Abi Falah, LLM, Co-Chair

Communications & Outreach Coordinator: Vacant

Program & Events Coordinator: Vacant

Purpose

The WCAPS SWANA Affinity Group aims to promote the voices and advance the professional development of women of color in the Southwest Asian and North African regions, commonly called the Middle East, in the fields of international peace, security, and conflict transformation.

Objectives

Build a community of women who care deeply about and/or are working on SWANA-related issues.
Strengthen ties between women in the region and diaspora groups.
Empower women working and living in the region.

Goals

Decolonizing the understanding of the SWANA region
Fostering discussions around the policies impacting women and other minorities (such as the LGBTQ communities and marginalized ethnic groups) in the SWANA region;
Highlighting, through anecdotal stories, the impact of US foreign policy on those living and working in the region;
Creating accessible materials for those living and working in the SWANA region;
Creating awareness around cultural misconceptions and points of vilification/Islamophobia;
Addressing and discussing structural inequities that affect women and minorities in the region;
Collaborating with other working groups to have more in-depth discussions focused on policies and issues that impact women;
Encouraging diaspora groups in the United States to be politically engaged, especially on SWANA-related issues; and
Finding unique methods to build community amongst women working/living in the region and diaspora groups around the world.