SIDA Annual Conference 2026

Siddig Abdulrahman

Protection and Inclusion Coordinator, Islamic Relief Sudan

Siddig Abdulrahman Abaker is a Protection and Inclusion professional with over five years of experience since 2020 in humanitarian protection, GBV, child protection, legal assistance, safeguarding, and accountability programming in Sudan’s complex emergency settings.

He currently serves as a Protection and Inclusion Coordinator with Islamic Relief Sudan, supporting protection programming across multiple operational areas, including Darfur, Kordofan, Blue Nile, Al Jazirah, and Gedaref. His work covers GBV/CRSV, child protection, PSEA, safeguarding, MHPSS, protection referrals, cash-based assistance, AAP, protection mainstreaming, and community-based protection.

Hanin Ahmed

Partnership and External Relations Officer, Emergency Response Rooms

Hanin Ahmed stands as a defining voice for women’s leadership in crisis and conflict. A master’s level expert in gender and development, she embodies the power of female-driven change, transforming advocacy into tangible action for her community in Sudan and beyond.

As a woman leader, Hanin’s work is rooted in the unwavering belief that women are not just beneficiaries of change but are its essential architects. She channels this philosophy into founding powerful, women-centric platforms like the Arab and African Youth Coalition to Support Peace and Economic Development, ensuring a new generation of female leaders has the resources to thrive.

Her co-founding of the Ashum Altta Initiative demonstrates a profound commitment to women on the frontlines, impacting over 500,000 lives and championing projects for displaced women and families. When war erupted, her innate leadership as a caregiver and strategist came to the fore. She initiated the Old Omdurman Emergency Room, a testament to women’s role in building resilience, and now serves as Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs) External Relations Officer, where she steers national crisis response and advocates for women’s specific needs in conflict.

A sought-after public speaker and advisor, Hanin ensures the world hears the voices of Sudanese women. She has brought their stories directly to the halls of the US Congress and UK Parliament and serves as a US Department of State Advisor, shaping policies that recognize the critical role of women in security and peacebuilding.

Motaz Amer

Human rights and youth campaigner

Motaz Amer is an award-winning human rights campaigner and public speaker whose work focuses on refugee rights, migration, social justice and meaningful youth participation.  

Having experienced displacement from Yemen at the age of nine, Motaz brings lived experience of displacement into his advocacy working to ensure that refugees and people seeking asylum have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their lives. He is a New Scots Strategy Advisor to the Scottish government and a Youth Advisor and Co-chair of the Impact Committee at Mission 44. He also Amnesty International UK’s Country Coordinator for Yemen and vice chair of the country coordinators forum.  

Motaz’s work spans refugee rights, humanitarian issues, youth participation and social justice with a particular interest in challenging narratives around displacement and creating more inclusive and equitable approaches to policy and international development. 

Motaz is a member of the Diaspora Group for Global Citizenship.

Claire Barnett

UK Advocacy Advisor, Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP)

Claire leads GARDP’s UK parliamentary and government engagement on antimicrobial resistance, working across the UK’s global health community to build support for research, development and access. Her career spans strategy, global health leadership and social enterprise. Serving as Executive Director of UN Women UK she built partnerships to strengthen national policy, civic engagement, and create public behavioural change campaigns with media and global brands. She has worked on the impact of climate change and conflict on health systems and the intersection with social justice. 

Claire has supported healthcare, pharmaceuticals and medical devices organisations with market entry, inclusion and integration work as an independent consultant and at McKinsey & Company. She is the founder of businesses including building technological infrastructure to increase access to mental health support, and holds board and advisory roles for nonprofits including in the prevention of sexual violence.

Ramatu Umar Bako

Equalities and Human Rights Adviser

Ramatu Umar Bako is a strategic partnerships, policy, and community engagement specialist with over 15 years of international experience across the public, NGO, academic, and development sectors. She has an LLB (Hons) and BL in Law, Msc Global Conflict and Peace Processes from the University of Aberdeen as well as an MSc in Adult Education, Community Development and Youth Work from the University of Glasgow. 

Her work spans equality, human rights, health equity, stakeholder engagement, policy influencing, and programme management, with a strong passion for anti-racism, inclusive leadership, and community empowerment. Ramatu has worked in international development with organisations including the British Council, Oxfam, Save the Children, and DAI, and has consulted for UN Women, the United Nations, USAID, and Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, among others. 

She is Trustee and Secretary of the Board of Kairos Women+, a panel member for the Access to Elected Office Fund Scotland, a member of the Scottish Government Women’s Health Plan Lived Experience Strategy Group, and part of the Community of Practice Right to Health. She also volunteers with Pachedu and SharpenHer, supporting leadership, equity, and community development initiatives. A Nigerian by birth and a Scottish lass at heart, she is a proud mum and passionate advocate for equal opportunities and life long learning. 

Ramatu is a member of Diaspora Group for Global Citizenship 

Aneel Singh Bhopal

Deputy Director of the West of Scotland Regional Equality Council (WSREC) and Co-Chair of the Diaspora Group for Global Citizenship

After completing an LLB (Honours) and MSc in Criminal Justice, Aneel has been involved in the third sector for over a decade supporting various causes in both paid and voluntary roles. Previously, Aneel has worked for the Central Scotland Equality Council (CSREC) managing a large scale environmental and equalities project which supported people from BAME communities in the Forth Valley area. With the Scottish Refugee Council, Aneel has also coordinated regional support for refugees, asylum seekers and new migrants, across the South West of Scotland, through engagement with community organisations, local authorities and public sector agencies. Aneel currently works as Deputy Director of the West of Scotland Regional Equality Council (WSREC), an equalities and human rights organisation, based in Glasgow.

Aneel is a regular contributor to BBC Scotland’s ‘Thought for the Day’ and currently sits on Refugee Action’s ‘Insight Advisory Hub’.

He has experience of volunteering with Interfaith Glasgow, SEVA Scotland and Forestry Commission Scotland.

Aneel is co-chair and a founding member of the Diaspora Group for Global Citizenship.

Elizabeth Mya Chemonges-Murzynowska

Racial justice advocate, community organiser and co-chair of the Diaspora Group for Global Citizenship

Mya Chemonges-Murzynowska is the co-founder of the African Caribbean Asian and Mixed Heritage Association (ACAMHA) in Scotland and serves as Chair of Kenyans in the Highlands and surrounding areas. She is a prominent figure across various diaspora networks in Scotland, advocating for inclusivity and community empowerment. Mya’s mission is to work alongside the community to offer safe spaces to discuss and share cultural, traditional and heritage differences and how to incorporate them for the benefit of the community. ACAMHA collaborates with the Highland Council on education initiatives, partners with local churches to provide youth activities, and creates safe spaces for discussing cultural integration. A dynamic speaker and skilled event organiser, Mya brings passion and commitment to her role as a community advocate, fostering a supportive environment where people and communities feel encouraged to share and celebrate their unique heritage and shared humanity. 

David Cunningham

Chief Executive, Kids Operating Room

David is the Chief Executive of Kids Operating Room; a global health charity
focused entirely on the provision of safe surgery for children in low-resource
settings. Working across 40 countries, the charity has created capacity for more
than 250,000 operations each year, helping children access the surgical care they
urgently need. Focused on a non-mission model of care, Kids Operating Room
strengthens the local health system by installing surgical equipment, training local
people, and deploying their award-winning solar surgery system to ensure the best
quality of care is given. David has led Kids Operating Room since it formed at the
start of 2018.

A graduate of the University of Dundee, where he received an Honorary Doctorate,
David studied psychology and specialised in early years development.

David has served on the Board of the Fundraising Regulator, sat on the regulator’s
Standards Committee and has served on the Standards Committee of the Institute
of Fundraising.

Current active positions include sitting on the Board of the Foreign Policy Centre, a
UK think tank advising government; being a director of Global Hospital, a company
specialising in healthcare infrastructure development in low-resource settings; and
being a visiting lecturer at the University of Oxford where he teaches on the Global
Surgery course.
David has published several articles on global health and global surgery in high-impact journals, including a Lancet report on the development of the world’s first
operating room for children’s surgery in a refugee setting

Lorraine Currie

Chief Executive, SCIAF

As SCIAF’s Chief Executive, Lorraine holds over three decades of dedicated leadership in the fields of relief and international development. Lorraine has held various influential roles with UNHCR, international charities and faith-based organisations, including Caritas agencies. Her work has spanned regions in the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe, where she managed diverse programs addressing the needs of marginalised communities. Lorraine holds an MA in Refugee Studies and Migration and an MSc in International Health and Development. She moved into the role of Chief Executive in 2023, after 13 years as SCIAF’s Director of International Programmes and Advocacy.

Mila Dagher

Student advocate and organiser

Born and raised in Lebanon, Mila is pursuing an MA Hons in International Relations at the University of Edinburgh. Having lived through Lebanon’s compounding socio-political and economic crises before relocating to France in 2021, her commitment to diaspora communities is rooted in lived experience. At Edinburgh, Mila has been an active voice in student advocacy.

As Education Officer for Girl*Up, she organised panel discussions examining forced migration through a gendered lens, focusing on women and LGBTQ+ individuals navigating asylum systems in Scotland and beyond, bringing together partners including the Refugee Sponsorship Circle. She has also contributed to advocacy and fundraising through the MENA Society and the Coalition for Palestine. A life woven across Beirut, Marseille, and Edinburgh has shaped her understanding of global citizenship and strengthened her conviction that belonging and responsibility extend beyond borders. She is working towards a career that supports migrants and advances global justice. 

Mila is a member of the Diaspora Group for Global Citizenship.

Charlotte Dwyer

Director of Scotdec

Charlotte is the Director of Scotdec, one of Scotland’s Development Education Centres. Her work focuses on strengthening global citizenship education in Scotland through curriculum development, teacher education, strategic leadership and sector advocacy.   

Previously she worked as an English teacher, within the UK and overseas, before working with the Ministry of Education in Eritrea supporting teacher training and curriculum development.  

She serves as a trustee for the Scottish International Development Alliance and co-chairs their Global Citizenship Education Committee and sits on the board of the Anti-Racist Education Programme in Scotland. 

Mikaela Gavas

Managing Director of the Center for Global Development

With over two decades shaping policy at the intersection of research, advisory and public affairs, she is a recognised authority on international and European development strategy and finance. She has served as a member of the Standing Advisory Group on Technical Assistance and Cooperation for the UN International Atomic Energy Agency and as a Specialist Adviser to the House of Commons International Development Committee. Before joining CGD, she was the Head of ODI’s Development Strategy and Finance programme, and she worked as a strategy adviser to governments, including France, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Qatar, Switzerland and the UAE. She was an adviser on European development cooperation in the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and has worked for several NGOs

Paul Gerrard

Campaigns and Public Affairs Director, Co-op

In a twenty-year career in the Civil Service, Paul worked in senior roles which included responsibility for the operational delivery of the £40bn tax credits and Child Benefit system and the strategy to tackle multi-billion organised criminal attacks on the UK’s indirect tax and excise duty systems.

Paul joined the Co-op Group in 2016 and as Director of  Campaigns, Public Affairs and Policy, he is responsible for the Co-op’s engagement with Government on a range of public policy issues and manages the internal Board governance of the Co-op. Paul leads the Co-op’s campaigning activity through their multi-award winning campaigns on slavery, loneliness, shopworker violence, climate justice and social mobility. He regularly gives evidence to Parliamentary Committees and appears on national media on these campaigns.

Frances Guy

CEO of Scotland's International Development Alliance

Frances has been the CEO of Scotland’s International Development Alliance since 2021. She was born and educated in Scotland, Italy, and Canada before embarking on an international career that has taken her principally to the Horn of Africa and the Arabic speaking world, including Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen. Frances worked for Christian Aid between 2014 – 2017 as head of their Middle East team based in London. Most recently she was gender team leader for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) regional office in the Arab states. She was Representative for UNWomen in Iraq between 2012 and 2014 and before that she had a long career in the British Diplomatic Service during which she served as British Ambassador to Lebanon (2006 -2011) and to Yemen (2001 -2004). 

Erik Harvey

Strategic Programme Development Director at WaterAid

Erik Harvey is the Strategic Programme Development Director at WaterAid, where he leads high-level partnerships and large-scale initiatives to solve the global water and sanitation crisis.
With over 30 years of experience, including 18 years in the WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) sector, his career began as a mechanical engineer in South Africa. He eventually transitioned into international development, managing programs across 17 countries.

At WaterAid, Harvey has held several senior roles, including Programme Support and Knowledge Director. He is currently a leading advocate for sustainable service delivery, focusing on strengthening local government systems and using innovative media partnerships – such as collaborations with creators like MrBeast – to drive global impact.

Benjamin Hunter

Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow and Convenor of the Development Studies Association Scotland Group

Ben is Senior Lecturer in the University of Glasgow’s School of Social & Political Sciences and Associate Lead for Healthy & Equitable Futures in the University’s Glasgow Changing Futures initiative. He teaches and researches on the political economy of global health and development, with particular interest in the evolving use of aid and the shift towards ‘beyond aid’ financing. Ben is Convener of the Development Studies Association’s Scotland Study Group and recently concluded a collaborative project with colleagues from five Scottish universities on recent trends in aid and what comes next, funded by the Scottish Council on Global Affairs. He has worked with leading multilateral and non-governmental organisations including the UNU International Institute for Global Health, the World Health Organization and Oxfam International.

Simita Kumar

Minister for Equalities and International Development, Scottish Government

Born in the Fiji Islands, Simita moved to Scotland as a teenager. She began her career as a Modern Apprentice with Glasgow City Council, where she received a commendation award for her work.  She later completed an undergraduate degree in Psychology with Criminology, followed by a Master’s degree in Health Research.

Before entering elected office, Ms Kumar worked across the public and voluntary sectors from 2013 onwards. Her career included roles with NHS Lothian, Children’s Health Scotland, and Public Health Scotland. She has also volunteered with charities including Victim Support & Witness Services, and ChildLine.

She was elected as a councillor for Southside/Newington in 2022 and went on to lead the SNP Group at the City of Edinburgh Council from 2024-2026.

In May 2026, she was elected to the Scottish Parliament as the MSP for Edinburgh South Western.

Anjana K.C.

Founding Chairperson of the Disabled Women Empowerment Centre–Kaski (DWEC-Kaski)

Anjana K.C. is the President of the Independent Living Centre–Pokhara (CIL-Pokhara) and Founding Chairperson of the Disabled Women Empowerment Centre–Kaski (DWEC-Kaski).

Anjana has a clear vision for advocacy, including the establishment of a network of 30 “Superwomen Advocates” across all seven provinces, working to advance climate action, promote accessible tourism, and drive disability-inclusive policy reforms. She has facilitated workshops and programs that have transformed the lives of persons with disabilities, partnered with INGOs, NGOs, and government agencies, and contributed to research and policy advocacy at national and provincial levels.

She is the author of the book “Bumpy Roads” in Japanese language covering the challenges and barriers by persons with disabilities. She has been recognized for her influence and leadership, including being named among the 50 Influential Women of 2025 by Online Khabar.

Anjana has participated in and presented at numerous national and international trainings and forums, including the Asia Pacific Feminist Forum 2025, 14th Duskin Leadership Training, and Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD), UN Women events, Global Disability Summit 2025, and the AT2030 Frontiers Symposium. These engagements demonstrate her ability to inspire, convene, and influence diverse stakeholders. In addition, she has played a key leadership role in the drafting and formulation of the Gandaki Province Act on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Despite living with a severe disability, facing limited resources, and working outside the capital city, which are major challenges for building and sustaining a strong disability movement in Nepal, she has persisted and made meaningful progress to lead an impactful disability rights movement.

Anjana’s leadership, vision, and innovative approach position her as a driving force for disability inclusion and social change in Nepal, making her a compelling representative for the Skoll World Forum 2026.

Dennis Lupenga

WaterAid

Across remote villages nestled between the rolling hills of Malawi, Dennis has worked on behalf of WaterAid to capture real-life stories that direct more light on communities who do not have access to clean water, good sanitation, and decent hygiene. Having met communities that had been transformed by the gift of clean water, Dennis has documented the joy on people’s faces as they no longer have to walk long distances to fetch water from contaminated sources. Through their stories, he has witnessed how access to clean water had not only improved health but also empowered women and girls by giving them more time for education and other pursuits.

Milok Mohamed 

Programme Coordinator, Islamic Relief Sudan

Francesca Sophia Muñoz

Activist, campaigner and organiser

Francesca Sophia Muñoz works across grassroots, national and international contexts on justice, accessibility and inclusive systemic change, with a strong emphasis on amplifying underrepresented voices and strengthening connections between communities and institutions. 

She is a social advocate and activist, having been involved in a range of movements, international conferences and United Nations spaces, contributing to conversations on sustainability, equity and global citizenship. Across Scotland, she serves as voluntary Project Manager with the Latin American Community Association of Edinburgh (LACAE) and as Co-Convenor of the Mamie Martin Fund, alongside her support for the Edinburgh Refugee Sponsorship Circle, World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers and RESULTS UK, and her leadership of Everyone’s Vote Matters Scotland. 

She brings experience in stakeholder engagement, programme coordination and cross-sector collaboration, alongside a strong commitment to intersectionality and ensuring her approach stays grounded in lived experience and community realities. She currently works at the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland as Community Outreach and Participation Coordinator. 

Francesca is a member of the Diaspora Group for Global Citizenship.

MD Rahman

PhD Researcher, Community Relationships Specialist and Secretary of the Diaspora Group for Global Citizenship

MD Rahman, is a PhD Researcher at Queen Margaret University. His research focusses on promoting social connection and social cohesion. Md also works with Police Scotland as a Community Relationships Specialist, where he focusses on building and strengthening relationships between the police and diverse communities. He is also the Chairman of the West Lothian Community Race Forum, a charity committed to bringing people together, promoting understanding, and celebrating the diversity of communities across West Lothian. MD is Secretary of the Diaspora Group for Global Citizenship 

Sharon Sharkey

Deputy Head Teacher, Nairn Academy, Highland Region, Anti-racism and Gaelic language advocate

Sharon Sharkey is Depute Head Teacher at Nairn Academy, where she leads on Supporting Positive Relationships, anti-racism, and tackling discrimination. As a Hebridean Gàidheal, with Gaelic as her first language, Sharon has spent more than 20 years working with children and young people and is committed to creating educational environments where diversity is valued and every person experiences a strong sense of belonging. 

 An active contributor to local and national anti-racist education and equalities networks, Sharon has developed practical approaches to supporting inclusive school communities. She designed a toolkit for responding to racist incidents in schools, which was shared nationally by Education Scotland and recognised by the Scottish Government as a positive approach to strengthening anti-racist practice. Sharon also works in collaboration with the Highland charity Safe Strong and Free to deliver their Stronger Together pilot, helping to develop approaches that embed inclusion and celebrate diversity within school communities.

Charles Syamayuwa

Farmer, community advocate and councillor

Charles  Syamayuwa is a farmer, community advocate and councillor from Chiyabi Ward in Sinazongwe District, Zambia. He has worked with local communities to strengthen participation in development planning, improve access to public services and support applications for Constituency Development Fund financing. Through the Climate Justice Grant Zambia project, he has championed locally led solutions to climate and development challenges and advocates for greater community voice in decision-making.

Harjeet Singh

Founding Director, Satat Sampada Climate Foundation / Fill the Fund Campaign

Harjeet Singh is a global climate and social justice activist. He is the Founding Director of the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation and Global Convenor of the “Fill the Fund” campaign on Loss and Damage finance. He specialises in advancing just transitions, strengthening adaptation and resilience programmes, and addressing climate impacts and migration. Harjeet also serves as the Strategic Advisor to the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative.

Previously, he served as the Head of Global Political Strategy at Climate Action Network (CAN) International and led ActionAid’s global climate justice programme. Harjeet has also held board positions at CAN International and the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR).

Currently, he is a member of the United Nations Technical Expert Group on Comprehensive Risk Management under the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage, as well as the IUCN Climate Action Commission. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Sumaúma Pledging Tree for Human Rights-Based Climate Action, an initiative of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Harjeet has authored and overseen numerous publications on climate justice and disaster resilience.

Vee Toyi

Racial Equity & Inclusion Specialist | Convener, Scottish Environment EDI Network | Author | Board Member & Advisor and Community Cohesion Leader

Virginia, also known as Vee, has a background in law, policy, and community engagement and has worked in Race, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, with over two decades of experience working across public bodies and communities to advance racial and social justice in Scotland. Her work currently sits at the intersection of race and environmental justice, exploring how climate, sustainability, and inequality impact racialised and Global Majority communities through an intersectional lens. She contributes to supporting Scotland’s local and global development sector to adopt fairer and more decolonial approaches, to become more inclusive, while promoting diaspora and Majority World-led action for global justice. 

Vee also volunteers with several African black-led community organisations representing different diasporas, supporting capacity building, strengthening community voice and promoting social cohesion across Scotland. She is committed to advancing global citizenship, racial justice, intersectionality and cultural understanding across communities. 

Vee is a member of Diaspora Group for Global Citizenship 

Liam Wegimont 

Executive Director, GENE Global Education Network Europe

Liam has been involved in global education for over 30 years, as teacher, youth-worker, researcher, school principal, teacher educator, lecturer and international public servant.  

Executive Director of GENE – Global Education Network Europe . Co-founder of ANGEL. He co-led the Drafting Committee of the Dublin Declaration on Global Education to 2050. He also grows vegetables, with limited success.  

Charles Wight

Director of Research and Policy, Water Witness

Charles is Director of Research and Policy at Water Witness, where he designs and communicates rigorous action research for addressing global water challenges. With over a decade of experience across NGO, academic, and development sectors, he brings deep expertise in geo-spatial science, freshwater conservation, nature-based solutions (NbS), and conservation economics. Charles has previously worked as a consultant for the World Bank and Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) and as a Global Freshwater Scientist at The Nature Conservancy. His career spans roles as a consultant, researcher and project manager, collaborating with organisations including USAID, International Rivers, InfoAmazonia, and The Strauss Center for International Security and Law.

Garreth Wood MBE

Co-founder of Kids Operating Room

Garreth Wood MBE is a Scottish entrepreneur, philanthropist and global health advocate.

Garreth co-founded the charity Kids Operating Room in 2018, with the mission of tackling the lack of surgical infrastructure for children in low-and-middle-income countries – many of whom were dying or experiencing disability from wholly treatable conditions. Under his guidance, the charity has installed over 136 paediatric operating theatres in 40 countries, creating capacity for over 250,000 children annually to receive life-saving surgical care. Kids Operating Room equips hospitals with state-of-the-art surgical equipment, designed to be smaller for use on a child’s body.

In 2025, both Garreth & his wife Nicola were awarded MBEs for services to health and charity in recognition of their significant contributions to children’s surgery internationally. In June 2026, they were awarded honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degrees by the University of Dundee in recognition of their contribution to advancing children’s surgical care globally.

Talat Yaqoob (Chair)

Campaigner, researcher and writer

Consultant, campaigner & leader on anti-racist, feminist policy, research & politics, Talat Yaqoob is a third-sector leader, writer and campaigner, focused on equality issues across politics, public life and the labour market championing women, communities of colour and migrants. As an independent consultant she provides policy, public affairs and research expertise to the third and public sectors. Talat was the Director of Equate Scotland, the national expert on women in science, engineering, technology and the built environment. Talat is co-founder and chair of the campaign group Women 50:50, advocating for fair representation of women in politics, which won a Herald Diversity Award in 2017, and is a member of the First Minister’s National Advisory Council on Women and Girls. She is co-editor of a new book, Building a Feminist Nation: Scotland in the Era of Polycrisis.