During International Development Week 2022, join Saskatchewan youth and youth from the Global South in conversation about gender equality and intersectionality in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through their eyes and their own social justice stories.

International Development Week (IDW) is an annual initiative established in 1991. It is held during the first full week of February, in 2022 from February 6 to 12. IDW engages Canadians on global issues and offers an opportunity to pause and acknowledge Canadian contributions to global social, ecological and economic justice.

About the Speakers

Hani Rukh E Qamar

Hani is the Founder and Director of the Canadian Advisory of Women Immigrants (CAWI), a youth-led NPO dedicated to empowering immigrant women.

She is pursuing a BSc. in Psychology with a double minor in Health Geography and International Development Studies at McGill University. She is on the Advisory Table at the Regina Region Local Immigration Partnership and she is on the Youth Advisory Board at the Research Network for Women, Peace and Security. She also works as a Global Policy Liaison at the International Youth Alliance for Family Planning. Recently, she was invited to be a part of the Reference Group at PMNCH in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). She also serves on the Steering Committee for Women in Global Health Canada, which is in collaboration with the Canadian Association for Global Health. Additionally, she works on research topics related to mental and sexual health, especially in contexts of immigrant, youth, and BIPOC communities. Hani is passionate about equitable access to healthcare, social determinants of health, and the rights of immigrants and refugees.

Samia Sami

Samia is an Electrical Engineer with demonstrated experience in sustainable energy, electricity grids, and engineering design. After graduating from the University of Saskatchewan, Samia is committed to bridging her two passions, sustainability and engineering, to integrate environmental stewardship into engineering projects. Samia is currently working for SaskPower, where she is designing transmission stations. Samia supports equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives in her community. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Starfish Canada and as a member of the IEEE PES HAC Project Design committee to assist youth in conducting humanitarian technology and sustainable development activities. Samia is one of Canada's Top 25 Environmentalists Under 25. She is also the recipient of the 2021 Global Citizen Youth Award by the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation.

Mimi Hamma

Mimi Hamma, is a 22 year old young activist who lives in the Sahrawi refugee camps in southern Algeria. She’s a civil society activist and a person who seeks to spread a culture of non-violence and dialogue in society.

The Saharawi people are from Western Sahara, Africa's last colony. A former Spanish colony, it was occupied by Morocco in 1975. Since then it has been the subject of a long-running mediation process led by the Polisario Front. A 16-year-long insurgency ended with a UN-brokered truce in 1991 and the promise of a referendum on independence which has yet to take place.

The Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), declared by the Polisario Front in 1976, is now recognised by many governments and is a full member of the African Union. Home to phosphate reserves and rich fishing grounds off its coast, Western Sahara is also believed to have as yet untapped offshore oil deposits.

Selma Deddi

Selma Mohamed lamin Deddi is a 27 year old young refugee who lives in the refugee camps in Southern Algeria. She is a civil society activist who works in the Central Youth Directorate in charge of the Youth Cultural Exchange section. She aspires to be an Ambassador of her cause wherever she goes.

The Saharawi people are from Western Sahara, Africa's last colony. A former Spanish colony, it was occupied by Morocco in 1975. Since then it has been the subject of a long-running mediation process led by the Polisario Front. A 16-year-long insurgency ended with a UN-brokered truce in 1991 and the promise of a referendum on independence which has yet to take place.

The Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), declared by the Polisario Front in 1976, is now recognised by many governments and is a full member of the African Union. Home to phosphate reserves and rich fishing grounds off its coast, Western Sahara is also believed to have as yet untapped offshore oil deposits.