Dr. Shukria Dini, a Somali-Canadian scholar who has extensively researched and written on issues contributing to the understanding of the challenges facing Somali women is the founder of Somali Women Study Centre.
In 1991, at the age of 18, Shukria fell victim to the civil war that ripped Somalia apart. Together with some relatives, she lived the refugee experience in Kenya and her hopes for a good education seemed effectively dashed. She was however lucky to relocate to Nairobi and later to Canada, where she was able to advance her education. With a promise to come back and help the women of Somalia, 20 years later Dini has created a platform where Somali women can tell their own stories and make their issues visible to policy makers. Today, her mission is to find solutions that will heal Somalia’s political, economic and social woes.
Since 1996, Dr. Dini has made submissions and overseen projects on issues like gender inequality, poverty, and marginalization of Somali women at various international platforms. She holds a Bachelors in Political Science, University of Winnipeg – Winnipeg Manitoba; M.A International Development Studies, St. Mary’s University, Halifax – Nova Scotia; PhD Women’s Studies, York University Toronto. Shukria is currently based in Nairobi, and frequently travels to Somalia to undertake research projects.
