Spotlight On: MSc Global Health Student Nour Al-Nasser

“I want to give voice to the voiceless, and work on their behalf,” says MSc Global Health student Nour Al-Nasser, who is passionate about two specific global health issues: refugee health and preventing violence against women. And her real-world experience prior to joining the program demonstrates her commitment to these issues.

After specializing in criminology and socio-legal studies at the University of Toronto, Al-Nasser travelled to Jordan and Greece, where she worked with organizations including UN Women, Mercy Corps, Queen Noor Alhussien foundation, as well as other local and grassroots organizations.

In Jordan, she spent time working at Zaatari, the world’s largest camp for Syrian refugees, where she screened refugees for war trauma, domestic violence, and child abuse.

Through these experiences, Al-Nasser has gained valuable insight into the some of the critical problems facing vulnerable populations. More importantly, she has been able to be part of the solution.

“I’ve interviewed donors, NGOs, researchers, and stakeholders to develop and inform best practices,” explains Al-Nasser, who has also helped to develop policy for the UN security resolution for Women, Peace and Security, and been involved in other projects focused on prevention of violent extremism.

“I chose to pursue a degree in global health at McMaster because I know this is an innovative program that’s dedicated to providing the best learning environments – from the e-learning in groups with students abroad to the international symposium in India,” she says. “Equipped with this degree, I hope to gain a competitive edge in the field.”

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