Australia Awards South and West Asia

In the lead-up to International Women’s Day, Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia has launched a podcast series called ‘Spotlight on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion’. The series aims to inspire ideas about how every individual can apply a gender equality and social inclusion lens to their work. In each episode, Australia Awards alumni will be sharing the innovative ways they are building gender equality and social inclusion into their projects. The entire series will be available to listen to for free on the Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia website and Spotify.

The third episode of the series features Sarah Soysa, the National Program Analyst for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Sri Lanka.

You can listen to the episode here:

Alternatively, you may be able to access it on Spotify:

Sarah completed her Master of Gender and Development Studies at the University of Melbourne with the support of an Australia Awards Scholarship. During her studies, she explored topics such as human rights, project management, gender and research. In her current role, Sarah is responsible for implementing the sexual and reproductive health program of UNFPA’s Sri Lanka office and overseeing its youth program.

Sarah believes it is crucial to bring a gender equality and social inclusion lens to everything these programs do. She emphasises the importance of considering people who are most vulnerable, such as those living with disability and those with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, to ensure no one is left behind.

In 2024, Sarah (second from left) participated in the Regional Alumni workshop organised by Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia on gender equality in Bhutan.

Listen to the episode in full to hear Sarah discuss several key lessons she has learnt about considering gender equality and social inclusion in her work. In addition, you will learn about the three key projects to which Sarah has applied these lessons. These life-changing projects address education, health and gender-based violence.

In the podcast, Sarah also offers useful tips that anyone can use to integrate a gender equality and social inclusion lens into their work, such as consulting communities and individuals, ensuring meaningful inclusion, and understanding that individuals may face multiple intersecting issues.

Sarah’s dedication to promoting gender equality and social inclusion serves as an inspiration.

Listen to the full series via–