Spotlighting Brenda Gael McSweeney and her network

Brenda Gael McSweeney, Visiting Scholar at Boston University's Women's Studies Program, leads a UNESCO UNITWIN Network. That network, on the topic of Gender Culture and Development, links BU with three prestigious Indian universities and social activist NGOs in India and Burkina Faso.

A UNESCO UNITWIN Network is associated with UNESCO Chairs, but is set up to provide a framework through which institutions of higher education can establish long term working partnerships. There are almost 70 of these around the world today. UNESCO certifies "UNESCO Chairs" in universities and "UNITWIN Networks" based in universities through a process of nomination and quality review. UNESCO provides some funding for the program, but much more is raised from other sources. There are a total of 635 UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN networks worldwide.

Through the UNITWIN network that she leads, Brenda is helping to convene an international seminar entitled "Gender Violence and Development: The South Asian Experiences" in New Delhi from October 12-13. 

You can find out more about the upcoming event here.