The Policy and Advocacy Team helps turn student insight and research into meaningful change.
The team coordinates our policy work, supports national and international advocacy, and creates opportunities for students to bring their perspectives to decision-makers.
Meet the Policy and Advocacy Team
Policy and Advocacy Directors – Lauren and Niamh
Lauren
Hiya, I’m Lauren Tucker, and this year I’m serving as Policy and Advocacy Co-Director alongside Niamh!
This role involves leading on national campaigns, supporting local ones, and helping to shape SfGH’s national advocacy strategy. We have some incredibly exciting campaigns coming up this year centred around the theme ‘Power and Access’.
Niamh
My role involves planning and executing SfGH’s national campaigns, and providing strategic oversight of our policy and advocacy direction as an organisation. I help to organise our Parliamentary Day of Action for the year, and also provide guidance to branches on how to run their own campaigns and engage their local MPs.
National Officer for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights – Lara
In my role as NORA, I am SFGH UK’s representative to the IFMSA’s Standing Committee on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights including HIV and AIDS.
While this sounds a bit of a mouthful, it means that I am an advocate for SCORAs five main focus areas (which you can read more about here: https://ifmsa.org/standing-committees/sexual-reproductive-health-rights-including-hiv-aids/#Maternal-Health-and-access-to-safe-abortion), though this year the focus will be on sexuality and gender identity.
With this in mind, this year’s national working group will be carrying out a critical policy analysis of the UK’s Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare’s Hatfield Vision, using an LGBT+ lens, culminating in a parliamentary day of action. This work will then link to a number of other advocacy events and campaigns throughout the year.
Please keep an eye on SFGH UK socials to see how you might be able to get involved throughout the year!
National Officer for Human Rights and Peace – Amirah
As the first-ever NORP at SfGH UK, I’ll be building the foundations for human rights work within our organisation — creating more opportunities for students and branches to learn, advocate and take action on issues affecting health, rights and communities.