* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Jemilah Mahmood is senior research fellow at the Humanitarian Futures Programme (HFP), King's College, London. The opinions expressed are her own.
The humanitarian sector should learn a lesson from the Oscars by using the media and the influence of prominent women in the Diaspora, to play an important role in tackling big humanitarian issues.
This year's Oscars are a perfect example of how women's issues can be championed using film as a media tool to highlight certain sensitive issues and produce tangible, sustainable change.
The 84th Academy Awards honoured as best documentary, the Pakistani film "Saving Face", directed by the husband and wife team, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and Daniel Judge, which charts the personal stories of women subjected to horrendous acid attacks in Pakistan.
This victory by a Pakistani national also spurred the government of Pakistan to accelerate changes in legislation to stiffen the punishment for such acid attacks.
As a society and particularly as the international humanitarian sector, we should learn this lesson, that we can take greater advantage of the power of the media and the Diaspora to pressure governments and those with humanitarian roles and responsibilities, to tackle big issues such as disaster prevention.
I would particularly and wholeheartedly like to encourage prominent women in the private sector and Diaspora communities to play an important advocacy role to leverage better conditions and uphold women's rights, as shown by the Oscar documentary winner.
I would like to encourage women in the private sector to look into how they themselves can highlight the disproportionately high risk women face in disasters and to promote resilience, prevention and preparedness.
With the increasing use of social platforms, networks and the variety of communication tools , giving women and girls access to these tools will empower them by gaining access to knowledge, information and will help them voice their opinions and participate in their own preparedness, relief and recovery, and subsequently claim their rights to aid and development.
Post the Indian Ocean tsunami, Banda Aceh, I remember vividly how health authorities lost an estimated 300 female nurses - all killed in the devastation.
This wasn't just a dreadful loss of human life, but human and technical capital. At that time, as President of MERCY Malaysia, I was able to help leverage partnership with the private sector in Malaysia to contribute funds and technical expertise for the construction of a new nursing college.
This nursing college was not only essential in rebuilding capacity but provided a building which was safe, earthquake resistant and retrofitted. The University curriculum that was developed also incorporated disaster education to facilitate the transfer of knowledge.
Diaspora communities play a crucial role, not simply in terms of sending money back to their homelands, but in supporting humanitarian endeavours by virtue of their expertise and local knowledge. The use of virtual space, their networks and connections enrich the humanitarian sector and bring perspectives that may be missed by traditional actors.
In most parts of the world women occupy very important roles, as teachers, nurses, doctors, and they manage and organise their families and play a role in their community from an early age. These are inherent social assets which can be utilised to great effect promoting disaster preparedness and resilience.
I believe the very importaint aims of International Women's Day can only be achieved through education, whether informally by families or in schools, or even by using communication tools. Increasingly, access to mobile broadband allows young people to receive education without having to face the threats to cultural norms.
It is critical therefore that women think of innovative ways to utilise their skills and take leadership in this area.
