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Alison Meston
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Director, Global Campaigns
, World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (trade organisation with human rights mandate)
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Paris,
France
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A dynamic, self-motivated communications and public affairs professional with a proven track record of managing and implementing global campaigns in international organisations on a wide range of issues. |
 Contact Alison Meston
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Area of Expertise: |
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Capacity Building, Training, Advocacy, Political
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Communications, IT, Media, Knowledge Management, Editor
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Director, CEO, COP, President
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Disaster, Aid, Emergencies, Relief
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Environment, Climate, Energy, Water, Sanitation
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Professional Experience: |
10+ years of experience in international development and advocacy roles with humanitarian, intergovernmental and international trade organisations. 12+ years experience in the international labour movement. I wish to continue to work within a human rights or communication environment, where I can use my natural abilities, creative energy and vast international experience to make a difference to the lives and freedom of others.
• Extensive and high-level worldwide networks within media organisations.
• Excellent negotiation skills; held meetings with Heads of State from Ukraine, Philippines, Niger, Liberia, and Ghana, as well as high level officers and elected representatives of the African Union, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Pan-African Parliament, European Parliament and individual country parliaments in Africa, Australia, Asia and Europe.
• Outstanding communication skills. Keynote speaker at UNESCO’s Global Alliance for Media & Gender, Bangkok, 2013 and UNESCO rep for UN Women meeting, NYC, 2016.
• A member of the British Red Cross team that won Best Advocacy Campaign at the British Charity Awards 2008 gaining inclusion of first aid in the school curriculum.
• Successfully advocated for climate change adaptation legislation in the Scottish Parliament.
• Instrumental in lobbying seven major supermarkets to agree to label the origin of meat products, resulting in the use of suppliers exclusively from the EU/UK, thereby assisting in keeping local industries strong whilst Senior Organiser with Unite the Union, UK.
• A senior member of the team that won The Australian Council of Trade Unions Campaign of the Year (2004) for increasing Teacher Assistant wages by 50%, and building 15 different levels of pay in employment agreements (United Voice union).
• Articles published in The Australian, The West Australian, UNESCO and on various blogs.
• Competent in quantitative econometrics/statistics programmes such as Stata.
• Languages - English (native) and French (B2 European Framework).
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2015 – Present
World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), Consultant: Capacity Building and Social Media for Women and News. Editorial leadership programme to close the gender gap in newsrooms in the Middle East & North Africa and Southern Africa regions. Responsible for fifty women in 8 countries and their leadership journey in partnership with Sida and Wits University, South Africa.
2015 – Present
UNESCO: United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation - Specialist Consultant for UNESCO’s World Radio Day, liaising with member states and UNESCO field offices for the international day. Achieved a 100% increase in website page visits, 30% increase in participating countries and increased social media presence.
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2010 – 2015 World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers www.wan-ifra.org
WAN-IFRA is the global representative of the news publishing industry.
2014 – 2015 Di
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Education: |
Education/Qualifications
2017 (finishing May 2017) Masters, Public Policy and International Law, American University of Paris
2016, Certificate International Human Rights Law Summer School University of Oxford
2006, Post Graduate Diploma of Journalism
Murdoch University (Recipient of the West Australian Journalism Prize for best academic performance in the Graduate Diploma of Journalism Programme)
1997, Post Graduate Diploma of Education, Murdoch University (Distinction)
1997, Bachelor of Arts, Murdoch University (Vice President of the Murdoch Guild of Students and representative on the Murdoch Academic Council)
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Affiliations and Achievements: |
Work Experience Continued:
2008 – 2009 British Red Cross www.redcross.org.uk
Public Affairs Officer (Scotland, Northern Ireland & Isle of Man)
• A member of the team that won Best Advocacy Campaign at the British Charity Awards 2008, for ensuring the inclusion of first aid in the school curriculum (“Life. Live it.”)
• Lead a successful campaign to include climate change adaptation and emergency response & resilience in the Scottish parliament’s Adapting Our Ways Climate Change bill in 2008.
• Engaged Sinn Féin and Democratic Unionist Party leaders in advocating for better emergency response and resilience plans in Northern Ireland.
2006 – 2008 Unite the Union, UK www.unitetheunion.org
Senior Organiser (Senior Management Team member with 7 staff)
Unite is a British trade union formed when Amicus and the Transport and General Workers' Union merged.
• Led a 7-member team in cross-border campaigns, building awareness around the issues of low-paid workers in Scotland in the areas of red & white meat, aviation (easyJet and Flybe) and social care.
• Liaised effectively with the media increasing Unite’s visibility in the community in Scotland.
1996 – 2006 United Voice, Australia www.unitedvoice.org.au
Campaign Officer & Union Organiser
United Voice is a large Australian trade union, with around 130,000 members.
• Increased the union’s membership, reversing declining national trends. Edited Union’s journal.
• Created capacity building initiatives and nurtured change management in the manufacturing, education, health and property services sectors. Won Campaign of the Year, 2004.
Community Experience:
2015 – Present Member of PEN International (UK) and inaugural Patron of The Guardian Newspaper
2011 – Present Adventures4Action.org Committee Member http://www.adventures4action.org/
2010 – 2012 Committee Member of the British and Commonwealth Women’s Association, Paris
2006 – 2008 Inaugural Executive Board Member, Glasgow’s Women’s Aid, Scotland
2003 Oxfam Community Aid Abroad Leadership Program (India - micro financing for women)
2003 – 2004 Community Representative, South Western Australia Regional Planning Committee
2000 – 2004 Board Member, South Western Australia Women’s Heath and Referral Centre
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Available for: |
- Being headhunted – make me an offer
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