Isabella Bjorkman is currently pursuing her MSc at Durham University Global Security Institute and focuses her research on how to ensure that early warning systems are more efficient, with a specific focus on gender sensitivity. Prior to this, Isabella worked as the Gender Focal Point for the FBA within the International Secretariat of the Challenges Forum, a global network that generates recommendations for the wider international peace operations community. As such, Isabella focused on increasing female representation as panellists and authors. By managing the Forum’s web page and twitter account, she coupled her gender-focused approach with strategic communication, leading to a deeper engagement of the network on gender issues. In 2017, Isabella worked with the UN Senior Leadership appointment section on a publication about the selection and support of senior leadership in UN peacekeeping operations. In 2015 she took part in the project ‘Young Women’s Peace Academy’, a training programme for young women activists from Sweden, the Caucasus, and the Balkans that seeks to develop participants’ leadership and communication skills. Participants created a women’s charter with recommendations.
