Woman of Colour in International Security Webinar

WIIS–Australia is hosting its first online webinar of the year, “Women of Colour in International Security.” The webinar will be held on 5 February 2026, 12:30–1:30 pm AEDT, and will feature Michelle Chan as the keynote speaker and panellist. Ms Chan is Deputy Secretary of the South and Southeast Asia Group at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Australia’s Senior Official to ASEAN-led mechanisms.

The panel will also include Afeeya Akhand, Emerging Associate at ANU’s National Security College, and Pauline Bouchot, Security Specialist at International SOS. Together, they will discuss how intersectional perspectives shape Australia’s approach to international security across diplomacy, defence, and development. The session will be moderated by Professor Jacqueline Lo, Director of the Indo-Pacific Research Centre at Murdoch University.

The webinar discussion will spotlight leadership, insights, and challenges of women of colour working in international security, where representation remains limited despite Australia’s multicultural identity.

If this webinar aligns with your interests, register now.