Om arrangementet
Skeiv Verden invites you to our International Conference on Intersectionality 2026!
This year's conference will be held on the 4th of November in Oslo (and streamed digitally).
For 2026, the theme of the conference is Intersectionality and Migration!
Intersectionality is a central framework for understanding how different identity markers interact in relation to society’s mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion. This shapes both one’s quality of life and one’s access to support services. By taking an intersectional approach to migration, we can gain a deeper understanding of both our own and others’ lives.
Who is this conference for?
This conference is for anyone who wants to be a part of an engaging and educational community! We work from the stance of "Nothing about us without us", and this conference is our way to engage in a topic so often discussed by others than whom it concerns. From here, we invite everyone that wants to engage with us, to learn and to contribute to Skeiv Verden's goal of creating a society where everyone, regardless of ethnic or religious background, can be themselves without facing discrimination.
We encourage activists, policy makers, health professionals, social workers, case workers, politicians, and everyone working in the field of migration to participate.
Program:
Main stage
Farah Abdi is a Somali-born trans refugee rights advocate who serves as Policy Officer for Asylum and Migration at Trans Europe and Central Asia (TGEU), the regional network for trans rights in Europe and Central Asia. Having fled persecution because of her gender identity and arrived in Europe at the end of 2012, she channels her lived experience into her work, advocating for better protection and social inclusion for trans refugees and migrants across the region. In recognition of her impact, she was named among Forbes’ 30 most influential people under 30 in Europe in 2017 for her contributions to human rights and social change.
Before joining TGEU, Farah made her mark as a journalist and author. Her 2015 autobiography Never Arrive tells the story of her journey through multiple countries, detention, and refugee camps. She has written columns on immigration for publications such as Malta Today and The New Internationalist. Described as “a bridge-builder between grassroots communities and European institutions,” she now campaigns for asylum systems that recognise the specific vulnerabilities of trans and gender-diverse people and works to shape EU-level policy on migration, equality, and gender diversity.
Mahmoud Hassino is a Berlin-based journalist and human rights advocate specialising in migration and queer asylum rights. Combining his lived experience as a refugee in Germany with his past work at Schwulenberatung Berlin and on the documentary Mr Gay Syria, he addresses the practical realities and systemic challenges of the German and European asylum processes. He also has experience working with disabled refugees and migrants. Currently, Mahmoud manages Syria's queer magazine, Mawaleh, and is leading its relaunch.
Dr. S Chelvan is an award-recognised UK-based advocate and activist. Chelvan is peer-reviewed as “an innovative leader… pushing the boundaries of the law…” and “at the top of his game”. Chelvan has a PhD in Queer Refugee Law as well as an Honorary Doctorate in recognition by others in his field of his national and international impact, specifically with respect to his education of the underprivileged and commitment to the rule of law and social justice. Chelvan’s contribution to Refugee Status Determination over the past 25 years ranges from credibility assessment, country background material, case commentary, and Parliamentary recognition. His keynote speech will delve into the use of credibility assessments for LGBTQI+ refugees.
The program from the main stage will end with a panel discussion touching upon the topics raised on the main stage to discuss how all of this applies to Norway. The panel will consist of the following:
- Joseph Mardelli, leader for the Competency Team in Skeiv Verden. Mardelli holds a master's degree in international law and has been working with the Norwegian Asylum System for several years.
- Andrea Grønningsæther Vige, associate professor at the University of Oslo. Grønningsæther Vige as published extensively on queer and intersectional issues in legal framework and policy making.
- Jon-Ole Martinsen, lawyer, senior advisor and spokesperson in the Norwegian Organization for Asylum Seekers (NOAS), where Martinsen is responsible for LGBTQI+ refugees. He has comprehensive experience in this field, representing queer asylum seekers in UDI and UNE cases over the last 20 years.
Parallel sessions:
The second part of the conference will consist of three parallel sessions in which the participants get to engage with the topics from the main stage, as well as additional themes. All keynote speakers will participate in the parallel sessions, and there will be plenty of time to discuss their presentations with them. In the parallel sessions, we will also invite new speakers to raise topics on the theme of intersectionality and migration, that wasn't given space on the main stage program.
Venue:
Sentralen, Øvre Slottsgate 3, Oslo. Digital participation is also possible.
The conference will start at 09:00 and end at 15:30. From 16:00-18:00, we will have an after-work at the same venue to keep the good conversations going!
The venue is universally designed, and we can accommodate different needs. Just let us know!
Ticket prices:
Physical participation, ordinary: 500kr
Physical participation, member: 300kr
Student price: 300kr
Digital participation, ordinary: 300kr
Digital participation, member/student: 150kr
Foto: Skeiv Verden
Arrangør: Skeiv Verden
