Chevening Alumna paves the way for women in diplomacy

Twenty years after completing my Chevening Scholarship, I work as Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. My role involves steering the delivery of Bahamian foreign policy, with climate change at the heart of our objectives.

As a climate-vulnerable small island state, our development, security, trade, health, and human rights are all deeply affected by climate change.

Part of my job is to seek opportunities for co-operation with like-minded states. I work with a team of dedicated Bahamian diplomats and foreign service officers and we use the tools of diplomacy to help shape policies around technical co-operation, climate change and security, and adaptation and mitigation.

“The greatest obstacle I have faced in my career is gender stereotyping and unconscious bias.”

I have never forgotten my first day teaching my course on conflict negotiation and mediation for diplomats. One of the students asked me if I had seen the professor. I hesitated and then turned towards the group of students, and said, ‘I am sorry to disappoint you, but I am your professor.’

Fields like politics, international law, and diplomacy can still be dominated by men. Unconscious biases and social stereotypes impact women in diplomacy.

“My hope is that the next generation of women in diplomacy do not face the same obstacles.”

I take immense pride in my students. A few years ago, I encountered a former student from New York on her way to a job in Sudan. She remembered me, and we spoke about her journey from studying refugee and migration law to applying it in her fieldwork. We are all lifelong learners, and I believe teaching and mentorship are crucial in any work environment.

What would your advice be to Chevening Alumni?

My advice is to brace for reverse culture shock. Adjusting from the diversity of the UK and the anonymity of being one of many international students in a big city can be challenging. During times when you miss your friends, the library, your professors, or even your Sainsbury’s online order, reach out to other Chevening Alumni. After almost 20 years, I still cherish my connections with Chevening Scholars from India, Iraq, Indonesia, Malaysia, Albania, and Portugal. They have been an invaluable part of my journey.

About Jerusa Ali

I am from The Bahamas, an archipelagic state of over 700 islands in the Northern Caribbean. I grew up in New Providence, but my family traces their roots back to Rum Cay and Eleuthera.

My journey with the Chevening Scholarship began with inspiration from my government colleagues who had previously studied in the UK. Their experiences motivated me to apply, and I discovered an interdisciplinary program in International Relations at Keele University that looked perfect to me.

At the time, one of the professors at Keele was Dr. Hidemi Suganami, whose approach to international relations was influenced by his background in philosophy, international law, and economics. His research inspired me to apply for the course and to challenge myself to understand how narratives shaped by larger states contributed to the exclusion of smaller states in international relations.