IFUW Candidate Biographical Data: Board of Officers
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| Shirley K. Randell
Kigali,
Rwanda
Age: 60-69 |
Nominated as:
Nominated by: |
Vice President
Rwanda Association of University Women |
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| Professional
Field and/or present occupation |
International Technical Adviser in Public Sector Reform,
Education and Gender Mainstreaming
Currently Professor of Education and Director of the Centre
of Gender, Culture and Development, Kigali Institute of Education,
Rwanda |
| Skills
and experience (volunteer and professional) that have prepared you to be an IFUW Board Member |
With broad experience of
governance and team management, I have the skills and energy
to accept my nomination as President of IFUW. My committed
involvement started 36 years ago when I joined the ACT Association
of AFUW in 1974 and has included a variety of roles at local,
national and more recently, international levels. I am deeply
committed to the vision and mission of IFUW, having founded
the Ballarat University branch of the Victorian Association
of AFUW in 1988 and NFAs in Vanuatu in 1999 and Rwanda in
2006. I have held a range of executive positions in these
NFAs and visited NFAs in all continents. I believe this
unique personal experience of the solidarity of women internationally
equips me well to show leadership in strengthening this
solidarity.
I am committed
to facilitating multigenerational leadership in IFUW, and
strengthening communications between young members, international
members and members of NFAs, both face to face and electronically.
I greatly value the dedication and competence of our staff
and appreciate the excellent work being done on our international
website to facilitate communication.
My management and financial skills and experience make me
well placed to continue to improve the efficiency and effectiveness
of IFUW. Relevant experience is listed below.
IFUW experience at international level and in the Pacific,
Asia and Africa, including Convenor, IFUW Projects Development
Committee, 2004-7, Secretary General 2006-8 and CIR 2009-,
Rwanda Association of University Women, Projects Convener,
Vanuatu Association of University Women, 2000-2003
International development assistance experience supporting
governments in the Pacific, Asia and Africa through a variety
of agencies, including the Dutch Development Cooperation,
UNIFEM, UNDP, World Bank, ADB, European Union, AusAID and
NZAID. From 2006-8 I was Senior Adviser Governance, Education
and Gender with SNV Rwanda supporting local capacity builders
in engendering the Economic Development Poverty Reduction
Strategy for the country.
Speaker at a wide variety of Australian and international
conferences and author and publisher on public sector reform,
education and human rights.
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| Experience or knowledge of the United Nations, its specialized agencies and their national commissions |
I have an in-depth understanding of the UN mandate,
having worked closely with UN specialised agencies and national
commissions over three decades.
I attended the UN International End of the Decade Women's
Conference in Nairobi in 1985 as a representative on the
Pacific delegation. In 1990 I was a member of the Vanuatu
delegation to the Beijing +10 IWC in New York. I have attended
the last two UN Commission on the Status of Women meetings
in New York as an IFUW delegate and the Beijing+15 IWC.
Recent experience of UN agencies and national commissions
has been gained through:
- Executive Officer, UNCHR `Assisting Communities Together'
Project, UNDP/VAWG, 2003.
- two years as Chief Technical Adviser for a UNDP/ MWCA
project in Bangladesh, 2004-5.
- member of the Rwanda Steering Committee for the UNDP Development
Report, 2006-7
- three years as an associate member of the Rwanda UN agencies
gender advisers network, 2006-8
- Technical Adviser for the UNIFEM Port Moresby Safer Cities
project, 2008
- Technical Adviser for the UNDP/SNV Rwanda project on engendering
Rwanda's EDPRS at district level, 2007-8
- Partnering with UNDP, UNICEF, UNIFEM and UNFPA in my current
role as Director, CGCD, KIE, 2009-
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| Other relevant skills and experience from the last 10 years relevant to this position |
- Leadership skills in creating an emerging centre
of excellence in gender, culture and development in a key
university in a developing country, creating partnerships
with universities in all continents and attracting key academics
from overseas to contribute their skills and experience
to its development
- Policy planning, implementation, management, financial
and report writing skills and experience to support the
Board of Officers, its Committees and staff in improving
the efficiency and effectiveness of IFUW
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of global issues
and international organisations, including in Rotary International
in the Pacific, Asia and Africa, as President, Rotary Club
of Port Vila, 2000-2001, International Director, Rotary
Club of Dhaka North West, 2004-5, Administration Director,
Rotary Club of Kigali, 2006-
- Public speaking experience at a wide variety of national,
regional and international conferences - occasional addresses,
lectures, seminars and workshops on international, educational,
ecumenical and women's issues.
- Experience in strengthening communications between individual
members and associations face to face and electronically,
with well established networks on gender issues around the
world.
- International development assistance experience in the
Pacific, Asia and Africa
- Personal experience of the solidarity of women internationally
and commitment to leadership in strengthening it.
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| Goals for this position and the contribution you believe you can personally make if elected or appointed |
If elected, my goals for
this position, involving the contribution I can make with
my knowledge, skills, experience and passion are:
- to contribute to raising the status of IFUW as an internationally
recognised, non-government organisation of excellence and
a leading world partner in promoting the quality of life
of women and girls
- to promote IFUW and its values and strategic priorities
of working towards peace, promoting the education of girls,
adult literacy for women, access to and the advancement
of women in higher education, and empowering women to be
leaders and decision makers
- to encourage links and networks between international
members, young members, NFAs and IFUW for friendship and
mutual growth and understanding
- to support and enhance the international advocacy and
information sharing roles of IFUW, through its UN representatives,
partners, regional groups and NFAs
- to encourage multigenerational leadership by supporting
the inclusion of younger members in our decision- making
structures
- to support the continuing development of regional groups,
especially in Africa, the Pacific and Asia, including through
face to face and electronic communication, visiting and
participating in their conferences
- to participate actively in debates and decision making
in policy making and transparent financial accountability
- to be a team member of the Board of Officers in encouraging
inclusive leadership and timely responses through all those
elected and appointed to our committees
to support the
Secretary General and staff in the daily management and
leadership of IFUW
- to support the continuing development of our website as
a key tool to information sharing and networking
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| What do you see as the role of the Board? |
The role of the board includes
- setting policies and strategies for IFUW, in line with
the agreed purposes, principles and scope approved by Council
- setting operational guidelines, work plans and budgets
for IFUW and policy and programme support
- making financial decisions
- assisting the internal workings of IFUW by setting criteria
for membership of, and appointing, review panels and/or
support groups
- establishing a framework for monitoring and periodic independent
evaluation of performance and financial accountability of
activities supported by IFUW
- representing and advocating for IFUW internationally,
regionally and nationally.
- coordinating with other international agencies
- mobilising resources
- participating in committees and working groups of IFUW
- supporting the Secretary General and staff
- leading and inspiring the membership - regional groups,
NFAs, young members, international members
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Board members serve as committee liaisons or have special responsibilities in the following areas: international advocacy, programme, projects, membership, communications, finance, resolutions, fellowshis and assistance to displaced women graduates.
For which of these roles are you most suited and why? |
As Vice President I would like to take responsibility
for a different committee from the two I have been involved
in at international level over the last six years - projects
and membership.
I would enjoy
the challenge working with international advocacy.
My extensive experience in international employment, consultancy
and advocacy as listed above has prepared me for this role.
In my current position as Director of the Centre for Gender,
Culture and Development I will be travelling fairly frequently
to similar centres overseas so will be pleased to keep in
touch with our UN representatives. I also have a very
broad international network of key players in international
advocacy.
I would also be
interested in the communications activities of the board,
especially given my track record in creation and development
of Dgroups and electronic networking. |
| Education: |
University of New England, PhD, 1987, Policy Implementation
in a Federal Political System Institute of Education, University
of London, 1983, AIE, Comparative Intervention in Education
Programs for Disadvantaged Groups in UK and Australia. CCAE,
now University of Canberra 1979, MEd, Social Attitudes of
Papua New Guinean Teenagers. University of Papua New Guinea,
BEd, 1973, Education, comparative religion. Melbourne College
of Divinity Dip REd (1972), Dip Div (1979) |
| Mother
tongue: |
English |
| Ability
to speak English: |
Excellent |
| Ability
to understand spoken English: |
Excellent |
| Ability
to read English: |
Excellent |
| Ability
to write English: |
Excellent |
| Other
languages: |
French Good
Neo-Melanesian Good |
| Computer
skills: |
Considerable experience sending e-mail and using the
Internet |
| Internet
Access: |
Regular access to e-mail at home or the office |
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