Melanie warmly received at United Nations, despite a New York blizzard
Published:29 March 2017
CQUni Global Voices scholar Melanie Ohl pictured during #CSW61 at the UN HQ in New York.
It may have been 6 degrees below in the streets of New York, but CQUniversity Public Health student Melanie Ohl was warmly received inside the United Nations headquarters, for the recent Commission on the Status of Women.
Travelling as a Global Voices scholarship recipient, Melanie was able to attend UNCSW61 alongside representatives of member states, UN entities, and accredited NGOs from all regions of the world.
As a working mother of three boys, living in the rural town of Bluff, near Blackwater, Melanie related to sessions reflecting on disparities between women in western nations and developing nations.
“I reflected on Australia’s privileges in comparison to other countries but also about disparities between opportunities for women in urban areas and rural areas,” she says.
Melanie also reflected on Commission sessions focused on encouraging girls into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) study and career paths.
“Being from a mining region myself and having done a research paper on how women are missing in mining occupations, I thought it was great to see how women are being empowered and encouraged in STEM,” she says.
“We do need to encourage more girls in STEM-related careers and cut down on masculine domination of certain industries.”
While in New York, Melanie was able to meet and mingle with Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls Natasha Stott Despoja AM and Minister for Women Michaelia Cash, along with Ministers from other countries.
“Being a mum, it was inspiring hearing notable women talking about their work-life-family struggles as I have experienced these same things. It made me think about aspiring to these prestigious careers.”
Appropriately, Melanie flew out on International Women’s Day (8 March) to start her adventure in New York.
“It was inspiring attending conferences and meeting and networking with some amazingly intelligent people from across the world from very diverse backgrounds,” she says.
“Never in the world did I think I would receive a scholarship to attend the profound United Nations conferences in such the iconic city of New York!”
CQUniversity partners with Global Voices to identify and develop the next generation of Australian leaders by providing practical experience in foreign policy and international relations. The Global Voices Scholarship includes a research fellowship, pre-departure briefings and an international program of practical sessions, workshops, policy exercises and institutional visits.