Last summer, I had the chance to intern for one of the biggest non-governmental organizations in the Research Triangle (Raleigh- Durham- Chapel Hill, North Carolina). Working for IntraHealth International was a dream come true and a perfect match for my career goals. I was very interested in the work they do in capacity building and training of frontline health workers. As a result of this internship at IntraHealth, I had the opportunity to work for the Women in Government Internship Program for Afghanistan, a USAID-funded project to strengthen and sustain the Afghani health system. I learned so much from the experience and decided to write a blog that shows the importance of women empowerment in improving communities’ health in developing countries.
Because of this blog, I was invited by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) 2017 event organizer to give a speech in New York to advocate for frontline health workers based on my experience as a female physician in Iraq and the work I did on Afghanistan. I was very honored to get such an invitation and was delighted to accept this offer and be the voice of millions of health workers around the world, as well as a Fulbright ambassador of my country. I had a million things in mind that I wanted to say but due to the limited time, I mainly focused on two topics: first, reasons that force frontline health workers to migrate from low income to high income countries, and second, the importance of empowering female health workers in improving global health. I was very impressed with the feedback I got from the audience and did not anticipate that many of them would love to learn more about my work and the health conditions in Iraq.
This experience was priceless for me. It enabled me to gain confidence by presenting in front of high level policy makers on an international level. During the event, many representatives from the UN, WHO, USAID, UNICEF, IntraHealth, and other NGOs discussed possible solutions for the most prominent health challenges and the importance of achieving the Sustainable Developmental Goals. In addition to coming from a country where women need to fight for their rights, being part of this assembly allowed me to recognize the global need of people working on gender equity and women education. This experience gave me a lot to think about regarding my future academic and career goals and made me realize that I want to do research on women empowerment and its impact on health. Also, I got the chance to network with an inspiring group of global public health leaders.
As a Fulbrighter, I exchange my culture, experiences and stories with the community here in the United States whenever I get the chance, and I look forward to continue doing so even after the program ends. Fulbrighters represent the bridge that connects everyone around the world. After all, the Fulbright Program is the reason why I’m in this country, and thus I need to represent this prestigious community in the best possible way. I was proud to represent not only my home country but also the Fulbright Program at UNGA 2017.
Saja is from Iraq and is working towards her MPH in Maternal and Child Health at UNC- Chapel Hill.
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