AFEEYA AKHAND
Secretary
Afeeya Akhand is a researcher in foreign policy and national security focusing on Australia–South Korea bilateral relations, climate change, tech policy and anti-racism. She is an Emerging Associate at the Australian National University’s National Security College and a Pacific Forum Young Leader. Afeeya brings a breadth of experience across government, think tanks and the private sector, including previous roles at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and Department of Defence.
Driven by both lived and professional experience, Afeeya is a strong advocate for improving the inclusion of traditionally marginalised and intersectional groups in Australia’s foreign policy and national security sectors. Aside from her role as Secretary of Women in International Security – Australia Inc., she is the Head of Research and Policy at the anti-racism not-for-profit, Careers in Colour
Afeeya holds a Master of International Security from the University of Sydney specialising in Korean language and Bachelors in Laws with Honours and Finance from the Australian National University. She was recognised as a Young Woman to Watch by Young Australians in International Affairs in 2024.
Key Publications
Why do you think it is important to have women and gender diverse people in international security spaces?
We need women and gender-diverse people to ensure that the full spectrum of talent is leveraged within this critical sector. We cannot solve the cross-cutting, complex challenges currently confronting the international security community without diversity. Climate change, technological competition, and military build-up in the Indo-Pacific are just some of the pressing issues that demand new and innovative approaches to thinking and leadership.
What is your proudest achievement in direct support of the goal to have more women and gender diverse people in international spaces?
One proud achievement was serving as a panellist for WIIS-A’s February 2026 webinar about the importance of women of colour in international security. It was an honour to help position WIIS-A at the forefront of addressing an issue that many within the international security community remain uncomfortable or unwilling to confront.
What is one area of growth you would like to see in this space?
We need to see more women of colour, and women from other traditionally marginalised backgrounds, in international security particularly at the leadership level. Increasing the inclusion of women of colour is particularly an important area of growth that I would like to see due to the wealth of skills and expertise, particularly multilingual and intercultural competencies, that many women of colour bring.
While WIIS-A has hosted events on topics related to the inclusion of women of colour and intersectionality, including a webinar in February 2026 and a joint event with the Australian Institute of International Affairs – Queensland in November 2024, meaningful change requires systemic action. This includes investing in funded, evidence-based research to better understand the structural barriers women of colour face and to develop tailored, effective solutions that strengthen their inclusion and leadership pathways within the sector.