In addition to her work as a journalist and a translator, Shadia Marhaban served as a coordinator at SIRA, an organization dedicated to galvanizing support for a popular[1] referendum on Acehnese independence.
[2] In 2001, SIRA organized a peacefully rally in support of a referendum, with 2 million people attending in Banda Aceh.
In 2009 Marhaban delivered a keynote address at a conference in Finland, organized by Crisis Management International, devoted to “Gender and Mediation – how to improve women’s role in peace negotiations.” [3] In 2010, Shadia presented at conference held in Bogota, Colombia, dedicated to “Designing an Innovative Peace Process,” organized by the Berghof Conflict Research Center.
[4] In addition to her work at LINA, and her presence in the international arena, Marhaban serves as a founding board member for the School of Peace and Democracy in Aceh.
She is also a consultant for women involvement in peace processes for many governments and NGOs in Southeast Asians regions, among which South Thailand, Mindanao (Philippines), Timor-Leste, Myanmar but also Nepal and Afghanistan.