Esther Brito, Author at IVolunteer International

A look back at Pride 2022: securing progress in times of social regression

In a time where LGBTQ+ rights are being challenged, we look to international advocacy and education as ways towards an inclusive future.

Esther Brito July 25, 2022

2021 Pride: building hope and resilience through our stories

As Pride 2021 starts, let’s reflect on ways we use and build narratives to understand and withstand our hardest times in the LGBT+ community.

Esther Brito June 15, 2021

The new Writers’ Council: Dr. Michelle Keating leading the way

Dr. Michelle Keating has created a monthly professional development seminar series for the Writers’ Council program from the bottom up.

Esther Brito February 17, 2021

Black man with a rainbow flag raises his fist

A reflection on 2020 Pride: a case for community, a case for resistance

“Pride is a riot” – Stonewall Inn Pride, for so many of us, is a space of belonging. An enclave where we can be safe, sincere, and unapologetic of a reality still so often implicitly or explicitly censored around us. Pride offers resilience through community, support where there is so often rejection, and an example…

Esther Brito June 24, 2020

Trafficking: where globalisation and money meet

Trafficking, in all its expressions, is a global threat to which no country is immune. The phenomenon has come to be marked by its ever-increasing complexity, and has become a political priority for governments around the world. Often, when looking at trafficking, we center on victim profiles and rehabilitation. But this focus continues to allow only palliative measures. We must…

Esther Brito March 25, 2020

Women in Peacekeeping: roles and opportunities in diversity

The role of women in Peacekeeping Operations (PKOs) as a principal driver of long term peacebuilding and a necessary element of optimal implementation has only recently been acknowledged. The United Nations has since spearheaded initiatives to diversify Peacekeeping Operations across the world, yet the percentages of women participating in these operations still remain strikingly low. In 1993,…

Esther Brito March 5, 2020

Survivors leading solutions: a voice, a mission, a new approach

The scope and reach of NGOs and humanitarian organizations has experienced a golden era within the age of communications. The number of NGOs grows daily, and so does the money and resources donated to them. By 2030, the expected global value of these resources is projected to grow to 2.5 billion dollars. Nevertheless, NGO assistance tends…

Esther Brito February 14, 2020

Global Shapers: how youth leaders are changing the conversation, city by city

A Young World Today, we have the largest youth population in human history. Young people aged under 25 now make up 42% of the global population; accounting for approximately 1.8 billion people. Most of the youngest populations of the world are concentrated in developing countries, often even representing the majority. Thus, we may be presented with an unprecedented opportunity for…

Esther Brito January 26, 2020