Latika Maskey Pradhan is one of the Australia Awards recipients. She completed her Master of Gender Studies from the University of Melbourne in 2007. She is currently an Assistant Representative in the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Latika says “I am deeply grateful to the Australian Government’s scholarship program, I have highly benefited from studying in Australia, the scholarship provided me an exposure to an international academic platform, insight to various intellectual debates and discourses in the field of development, and I got an opportunity to interact and work with many scholars that enhanced my knowledge, skills, self-confidence, and truly helped shape my career goals”.
“The scholarship provided me an exposure to an international academic platform”
In her current work with UNFPA, she is able to use her knowledge and expertise in empowering adolescent girls through working on child marriage prevention, working on improving adolescents’ access to sexual and reproductive health services including health response to gender-based violence. She is a strong advocate in the area of Gender equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) and have continued to contribute in the development of national health sector strategies (Nepal Health Sector Program – NHSPII + Nepal Health Sector Support Program – NHSS), with GESI analysis in particular.
She further says “I feel blessed to get such an opportunity, while with the university I was also able take tutorial classes to undergrad students (one semester) in the University of Melbourne for the subject ‘Sex, Gender and Power’, I myself learned a lot in the process about the multiculturalism, and Australian Society and culture at large through interacting with young fellow students. I feel enriched and give credit of my achievements to Australian Education and scholarship that I received”.
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