Victorian honour roll of women inductees

SOURCE: Victorian Government Website: https://www.vic.gov.au/samia-baho-oam

Samia Baho has made an outstanding contribution to addressing the various barriers to ensure appropriate services are available for African women.

Born in Eritrea, Samia came to Australia as a refugee, with her early settlement experiences undoubtedly helping to shape her approach to work and life. On her arrival, Samia could already speak seven languages and soon developed expertise in English.

From an early age, she learnt to overcome obstacles and to meet challenges through being determined, resourceful and visionary. Samia is considered among her peers and other ethnic communities as a champion and advocate for disadvantaged people. Having obtained a social work degree, she built on her experience and set up various organisations to support humanitarian entrants to Australia. More recently she became founding member for the Centre for African Australian Women’s Issues.

Apart from her Bachelor of Social Work, Samia has a Masters Degree and Post Graduate Diploma in Women’s Health from the University of Melbourne and a certificate in Cultural Practice Law and Health from La Trobe University.

A tireless, committed and passionate activist and thinker, Samia has often demonstrated leadership on racism and sexism issues. She has made an outstanding contribution to addressing the various barriers to ensuring appropriate and equitable services are available for African women.

Samia has spent the past five years working on research projects targeting pathways on sexual and reproductive health improvement for Sahel African women. She is statewide coordinator for the Family and Reproductive Rights Education Program.

Through her work, particularly in the area of violence against women, various community groups have undertaken pioneering work in challenging mainstream perceptions and understanding of African women and family violence.