Alumna Fatima Muneer (SFS’11) Promotes Youth Inclusion at CAF 2018 Annual Forum

Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) alumna Fatima Muneer (SFS’11) recently made waves on the global stage when she took part in the 2018 Common Action Annual Forum held in Johannesburg, South Africa which convened under the theme “Global Racial Polarisation and the Rise of Right Wing Politics.”

Held on November 10th and 11th, the CAF conference focused on the plight of refugees, examining growing anti-immigration sentiment driven by a variety of socio political and economic reasons, including the rise of radical right wing movements across Europe.

At the conference, she represented the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, a network of inspiring young people under the age of 30 working together to address local, regional and global challenges. Fatima was invited to speak on the panel “Populism and the Future of Politics: Youth Perspective.”

“I spoke about solutions based on inclusive diversity that can potentially prevent the rise of right wing politics. I also talked about a civic engagement project on the G7 that the Global Shapers Ottawa hub, of which I am a member, did earlier this year to exemplify how youth can get involved with policy making on matters that concern them,” explained Fatima, who currently works as a research analyst at Earnscliffe Strategy Group, a leading Canadian government consulting firm.

“This was the first time in the history of the CAF’s annual events that an entire panel was dedicated to youth, and I feel very privileged to have been given the chance to share my views and ideas to influential individuals representing organizations like the United Nations, Al Jazeera Network, African National Congress, Mail and Guardian, and the International Crisis Group,” she added.

Fatima earned her BSFS in International Politics at GU-Q in 2011. She also holds an M.S. from Columbia University. Experienced working across different sectors, she previously worked with the Omani government and its private sector, the United Nations, and is part of the Leadership Team at Columbia Alumni Association Ottawa. Fatima also held leadership roles at Columbia Alumni Association Oman, where she was its first Vice President, and then President.

Panel participants included Faith Abiodun, Director of Program Recruitment and Partnerships at African Leadership Academy, Soud Hyder, Data and Insights Lead at TRT and a member of the founding team AJ+, and Chumani Maxwele, South African political activist, founder of #RhodesMustFall, and one of the founders of #FeesMustFall. Simon Allison, Africa Editor at the Mail and Guardian, was the moderator.

The outcomes of the conference will be compiled into a report which will then be circulated widely to policymakers and the media.

The Common Action Forum (CAF) is a transnational NGO established in Madrid, Spain in 2015. Its mission is to empower global citizens to address today’s challenges with innovative solutions by creating and encouraging a network of prominent and emerging experts from diverse backgrounds including academia, politics, media, civil society, the arts and journalism. Wadah Khanfar, former Director General of Al Jazeera Network, and ranked in the first category of Foreign Policy‘s Top 100 Global Thinkers in 2011, serves as CAF’s President.

CAF enjoys the support of an accomplished Advisory Board, with members including: Javier Solana, former Secretary General of the NATO; Celso Amorim, nominated as world’s best Foreign Minister by Foreign Policy in 2009; John Ralston Saul, award-winning intellectual and former President of PEN International; and other similarly renowned leaders hailing from various regions and fields. CAF’s executive leadership is guided by its Co-Founder, Rafael Heiber.