CRSV Indo-Pacific Network Meeting

CEVAW is holding a CRSV Indo-Pacific Network meeting on 17 September. We will hear from two Network members, Dr Farkhondeh Akbari and Okkar Shein who will talk on their work concerning Afghanistan and Myanmar (respectively). Network members will have an opportunity to update each other on important events and activities.

SPEAKERS

Dr Farkhondeh Akbari is a Research Fellow at the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEVAW), at Monash University. She holds a PhD in Diplomatic Studies from the Australian National University. Her research focuses on non-state armed actors’ diplomacy, peacemaking, foreign policy, and the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Farkhondeh is the author of Non-State Actors in Diplomacy (Routledge, 2026), co-author of Women, Peace, and Security in Afghanistan (De Gruyter/Brill, 2025) and co-editor of Mapping Futures for Afghanistan (Routledge, 2025). Farkhondeh has published widely in academic journals, contributing to local and grounded scholarship rooted in the lived realities of her context.

Okkar Shein is the Head of Program at Gender Equality Network and a development professional with 10+ years of experience in women’s empowerment, leadership, and community-driven initiatives. He holds degrees in health (Myanmar) and public management (New Zealand). Skilled and experienced in community development, gender mainstreaming, and gender-based violence, he delivers high-impact programs through direct and partner-led approaches. Amid Myanmar’s ongoing crisis, he collaborates with UN agencies, donors, and embassies, strategically advocating for Women, Peace, and Security to enhance the effectiveness of international assistance in Myanmar’s rapidly changing context.

FACILITATORS

Dr Phyu Phyu Oo, Research Fellow, Centre of Excellence for The Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEVAW) at Griffith University.

Professor Sara Davies, Deputy Director, Indo-Pacific Research, Centre of Excellence for The Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEVAW) at Griffith University.