Godwin Yidana came to Armidale in March 2019 to commence a PhD in Peace Studies that will provide a feminist critical analysis of women’s participation in the Myanmar Peace Process.
Originally from Ghana, Godwin came to the University of New England with over 15 years’ experience in conflict sensitive development practice, conflict transformation and peacebuilding, women’s empowerment and community development. He has managed projects in Australia, the Asia-Pacific and Africa.
After living in Sydney to complete a Master of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Sydney Godwin is happy with the tree-change that Armidale has provided and says he appreciates the lack of traffic jams and fulfilling lifestyle.
Godwin laughing as we attempt to take his profile pic outside of the Woolshed, UNE, September 2020.
He’s keen to let others know that there is more to a PhD student than their research topic. Godwin says “I am a fibre artist so I weave, using recycled materials from Ghana and Australia. This keeps me rooted to my culture. I also cook my traditional dish every now and then to remind me of home and I wear my cultural shirts and bracelets to remind me of where I’m coming from.”
In 2009 Godwin co-founded G-lish Foundation in Northern Ghana which enabled rural women to earn sustainable incomes using their traditional weaving skills to develop recycled art work and baskets for the international market. The project started with five women and within three months expanded to 70 women and 59 young people across three communities in Northern Ghana.
He’s also spent time working at the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies based in Cambodia where his role included working with colleagues in the Myanmar Peace Centre to develop and deliver conflict transformation and peacebuilding training workshops to over 500 civil servants across Myanmar.
Godwin interviewing a civil society leader and political activist in Mawlamyine, Mon State, Myanmar 2019
More recently Godwin worked at the Catholic Mission in Australia overseeing the implementation of 29 child-focused, gender-sensitive, conflict-sensitive and sustainable community development programs in Ethiopia, Ghana and Uganda and 10 more across the Asia-Pacific.
Right now, Godwin is busy processing data collected in Myanmar for his PhD between September and December 2019. He’s conducting ongoing longitudinal fieldwork with women in Myanmar using digital media (Facebook/Zoom/email) and undertaking an assessment of women politicians’ hopes aspirations and reflections in the November 2020 Myanmar elections.
When asked what caused him to focus on Myanmar for his PhD Godwin told us: “I have a keen interest in learning from other geopolitical, sociocultural and economic contexts. The complexity and complications of Myanmar’s context attracted my attention.”
Godwin facilitating a weaving workshop in Byron Bay 2017
A large weaving by Godwin, displayed in the Homestead at UNE, 2020