Linda Bartolomei is a Senior Lecturer and the a co-convener of Forced Migration Research Network (formerly the Centre for Refugee Research) in the School of Social Sciences, UNSW Arts, Design and Architecture. She lectures in Social and Community Development and Refugee Studies in both the Master of Development Studies and the Bachelor of Social Work (HONS).
Since 2001, Linda has been involved in a series of action-based research projects exploring the challenges associated with identifying and responding to refugee women and girls at risk in Kenya, Ethiopia, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka and Australia. The results have had significant impact on research and policy and were instrumental in the introduction of the UNHCR’s Conclusion on the Protection of Women and Girls at Risk in 2006 and the implementation of the Heightened Risk Identification Tool.
Linda has contributed to several missions on behalf of UNHCR Geneva to support the implementation of the Conclusion and further development of the Tool and regularly presents research reports at UNHCR Geneva. One of the most significant international refugee and community development projects Linda undertook was the “Survivors, Protectors, Providers” Project as part of the 60th Anniversary of the UNHCR Refugee Convention. With Professor Eileen Pittaway, she was selected for the project by The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The project included a series of Dialogues with refugee and IDP women and girls, men and boys, from refugee groups from India, Colombia, Jordan, Uganda, Zambia, Thailand, Finland and Australia. Linda previously led a practice based research project in New Delhi India which is modelling refugee led community development and social support. The project, funded by the DIBP Displaced Persons Program, is being implemented in direct partnership with refugee communities from Afghanistan and Somalia with the support of UNHCR and BOSCO Delhi. The Refugee Community Development Project (RCDP) was an innovative refugee community led project based in New Delhi, India. It was developed by the the Centre for Refugee Research) in partnership with the Afghan and Somali Refugee communities and UNHCR in New Delhi. The project incorporated education, livelihoods, and women’s safety and social support initiatives. It has received multi-year funding ( 2012 – 2106) from the Department of immigration’s Displaced Persons Program (DPP) and was jointly managed by CRR and BOSCO Delhi. Over the last year she has worked with UNHCR Geneva and a team of women from refugee backgrounds to advocate for and monitor the inclusion of refugee women and girls’ protection needs and rights in the new Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). She is currently leading a multi-year project in five countries in the Asia- Pacific with colleague Adjunct Professor Eileen Pittaway to support the implementation and monitoring of the commitments to refugee women and girls in the GCR. The project is funded by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/linda-bartolomei