IIUMSU encourages conversations of women empowerment through ‘SHe Speaks’

By Shaireza Jaafar

Gombak, 22 December 2023: The Women Representative of IIUM Student Union (IIUMSU) put the spotlight on gender-based violence issues through an inter-gender dialogue called, “SHe Speaks” at the meeting room of Wadi Budi of IIUM Gombak, today.

“SHe Speaks” is a continuous series aimed to advocate gender-based issues as well as to form a brand image for the Women’s Representative of IIUMSU in enhancing engagement among students.

“We welcome anyone who wants to share their problems as we ensure complete confidentiality, just so they know that we are here for them,” said the Head of Women Representative, Nur Arinna Dania binti Asmawi.

Motivated by the feminine rage, the conversations act as a space for students to acknowledge the cruciality of gender-based issues in Malaysia and on campus while expressing their thoughts and sharing experiences.

In an interview with IIUMToday, Arinna emphasised inclusivity in the series, “SHe Speaks,” where “S” and “H” are capitalised to indicate that men’s perspectives are equally important of women when addressing issues on sexual violence.

She also mentioned that this is the fourth session of the series, and they have successfully explored themes like, ‘Feminism is Not a Bad Word,’ ‘Women & Mental Health,’ ‘Dear Media, Let the Female Gaze Write Her Story,’ and the latest focus was on 22 December 2023 was, “Ending Gender-Based Violence.”

In plucking up the courage to address what many deem as a taboo topic, she added, “it is hard for us (women) to go through our day seeing other women get assaulted be it physically, psychologically, or verbally, and not to mention women who experienced harmful practices in a male-dominated workplace.”

“By shedding light into these issues we hope to disrupt the cycle of gender-based violence, as staying silent will only make the issues escalate over time,” she stressed.

“I hope this series serves as a platform for students to work hand-in-hand in raising awareness and aiding those who have been dealt with gender-based issues,” she concluded at the end of the interview.***