A Celebration of Women™

is elated to Celebrate the Life of this passionate activist, one woman that has devoted her life to humanitarian efforts in wars zones. She is a leading authority on the impact of war on civilians. Her reach has been global bettering the lives of children and their families at the front line of many of the world’s major crises including Iraq, Afghanistan, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Darfur, South Sudan, Burundi, northern Uganda, Ethiopia and the Thai-Burmese border.

 
 
 
 

WOMEN of ACTION™

 

 

Samantha Joan Nutt, CM, OOnt, FRCPC, CCFP

 
 
 
 
Samantha Joan Nutt, CM, OOnt, FRCPC, CCFP (born Oct. 1969), is founder and Executive Director of War Child Canada. She is a physician with more than sixteen years of experience working in war zones. Nutt is an award-winning humanitarian, acclaimed public speaker and best-selling author of Damned Nations: Greed, Guns, Armies and Aid published by McClelland & Stewart in October, 2011.

Samantha Joan Nutt, CM, OOnt, FRCPC, CCFP (born Oct. 1969), is founder and Executive Director of War Child Canada. She is a physician with more than sixteen years of experience working in war zones. Nutt is an award-winning humanitarian, acclaimed public speaker and best-selling author of Damned Nations: Greed, Guns, Armies and Aid published by McClelland & Stewart in October, 2011.

She is a leading authority on the impact of war on civilians.

In 1995, twenty-five-year-old Samantha Nutt – a recent medical-school graduate and a field volunteer for UNICEF – touched down in Baidoa, Somalia, “the City of Death.” What she saw there – gangs of young men roaming the streets armed with rocket launchers; a woman in a clinic line holding a dead baby; an overwhelmed, underfunded aid agency working in such an unsafe environment that its workers had to travel with armed escorts high on drugs – would spur her on to a lifetime of passionate advocacy for children and families in war-torn areas around the world.

Dr Samantha Nutt is a medical doctor and the Founder/Executive Director of War Child in North America. For fifteen years, she has been at the front line of many of the world’s major crises – from Iraq to Afghanistan, Somalia to the Congo and Sierra Leone to Darfur. These experiences have given her a unique insight into the brutality of modern conflict – why it begins, what sustains it and what we can and should do to prevent it. As one of the most original and influential voices in the humanitarian arena, Samantha is a go-to authority for the many of North America’s leading media outlets. With her uncompromising and powerful advocacy for justice and peace, Samantha is one of the most sought after public speakers. She has inspired thousands of people across the continent to see global conflict as a problem that can and must be solved.

Since the beginning of her career, Nutt has focused on providing assistance to war-affected women and children.

She is the Founder and Executive Director of War Child Canada / War Child USA and has worked with the United Nations and several other non-governmental organizations.

Nutt has worked with children and their families at the front line of many of the world’s major crises including Iraq, Afghanistan, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Darfur, South Sudan, Burundi, northern Uganda, Ethiopia and the Thai-Burmese border.

In addition to her position at War Child Canada, Nutt is also on staff at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto and is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. She is also on the board of the David Suzuki Foundation.

She is married to Ontario’s Minister of Children and Youth Services, Eric Hoskins. Eric Hoskins, centre, with his wife Dr. Samantha Nutt and their seven-year-old son Rhys in Toronto on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)

Nutt graduated from McMaster University’s Arts & Science Program. Subsequently, she received her MD degree from the same university. She also earned an MSc degree with distinction at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and holds a Fellowship in Community Medicine (FRCPC) from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. She is further certified by the College of Family Practice (CCFP) and completed a sub specialization in women’s health through the University of Toronto as a Women’s Health Scholar. In addition, as a practising family physician, she is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and is certified by the College of Family Medicine.

Nutt has received honorary doctorates from universities across Canada and in the U.S.A, including Niagara University, Brock University (Doctor of Humane Letters), Nova South Western University in Florida, McMaster University (Doctor of Laws), University of Lethbridge, St Mary’s University in Halifax, University of Western Ontario and the University of Ottawa. Most recently, in 2011, Nutt received additional honorary doctorates from Mount Saint Vincent University and York University(Doctor of Laws).

Nutt’s best-selling and critically acclaimed book, Damned Nations: Greed, Guns, Armies and Aid, was released on October 25, 2011. The book details Nutt’s work over the course of fifteen years in some of the most devastated regions of the world.

Nutt’s work on behalf of war-affected communities around the world has been widely recognized. As one of the most original and influential voices in the humanitarian arena she has received several awards. In 2011, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada “for her contributions to improving the plight of young people in the world’s worst conflict zones, notably as a founder of War Child Canada.”.

She has been named one of “Canada’s Top 40 under 40” award from the Globe and Mail. Time Magazine called her one of “Canada’s Five Leading Activists“.

Most recently, she was chosen as “Personnalité De La Semaine” by La Presse and was chosen as one of “200 Young Global Leaders” in the world by the World Economic Forum.

In 2010, Nutt was appointed to the Order of Ontario, the highest official honour in the province of Ontario.

In the same year, Nutt was recognized as one of the 25 Transformational Canadians as part of a program run by the Globe and Mail, CTV and Cyberpresse to celebrate Canadians who have sought to make a difference.

In 2012, she was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Samantha Nutt has travelled to some of the most war-torn nations on the planet. She joins Steve Paikin to reflect on humanitarian aid and armed conflicts abroad.

 
 
Nutt has written for Maclean’s Magazine and The Globe and Mail covering human rights, foreign policy and war-related issues. She is a best-selling author and frequently appears on leading television and radio networks in both Canada and the U.S.A as an expert commentator on war and human rights issues. Of particular note is her participation as a regular member of The National’s “Turning Point” panel. She is also a highly sought after keynote speaker on the impact of war, human rights, social justice and on public engagement in global issues.

RESTORE CHILDHOOD

War Child helps rebuild war-affected communities to provide the support necessary for children to experience a stable childhood.

When war itself ends, the consequences endure. A lack of employment opportunities, the absence of effective economic or social structures, a destroyed infrastructure, an under-educated population and a culture of impunity around rights violations combine to create conditions that make a return to conflict all too possible.

But by making a long-term investment to help the children develop into healthy, educated and productive adults, the cycle of violence can be broken.

That’s why we are dedicated to protecting childhood by bringing education, opportunity and justice to where they are needed most.

Education is every child’s right. It can also be a matter of life and death. The children of uneducated mothers are more likely to die in infancy than those whose mothers can read. An uneducated population is less able to participate in the governance process and has fewer opportunities to have a say in decision making about their community’s development.

War Child’s educational programming provides children and youth with opportunities for learning in a protected space, free from exploitation and abuse. In areas where formal education is not available, War Child works to re-build schools, run catch-up education programs and provide training in basic life skills.

In conflict and post-conflict areas, families often end up destitute and unable to provide the basics of life for their children. Young people are particularly vulnerable, because without a means of earning a living, the range of positive options narrows considerably. This is why the second cornerstone of War Child’s programming is vocational training. The program’s livelihoods component aims to create opportunities for young people to gain the skills that they need to secure dignified economic employment and income for themselves and their families. War Child also operates microfinance programs to help set up small businesses.

Featuring Raine Maida, Jesse Labelle, The Reason and Michou. See them perform live on John Street in front of Much Music in support of WarChild’s busking for change fund raiser founded by Dr. Samatha Nutt.

WarChild is a non-profit organization that works with youth around the world in areas of conflict and war. Children around the world rely on WarChild and WarChild relies on your donations.

Donate online today at http://warchild.ca

A stable family income improves children’s prospects, by providing them with easier access to basic needs and the building blocks for a secure future.

When a country is at war, legal structures break down quickly and it can be a prolonged process to rebuild them. Women and children are frequently the victims of severe human rights violations – especially sexual violence – in conflict and post-conflict communities. The atrocities and abuses of war can become ingrained, creating a culture of impunity in which sexual violence goes unpunished.

War Child is dedicated to overcoming this and ensuring that women’s and children’s rights are both understood and respected by communities and the law enforcement officials who oversee them.

War Child’s programming provides direct legal representation to children and women in need of protection as well as comprehensive community sensitization and training of legal and justice officials.

WHERE WE WORK | GRASSROOTS SOLUTIONS

At the very core of War Child’s overseas programming is the belief that for a community to experience a robust recovery following conflict, the community itself must drive the process. War Child’s role is as a facilitator and capacity builder.

We can help individuals improve their skills to better access opportunities for personal growth.

This is not only for those young people who attend our programs but also our staff overseas, 95% of whom are recruited from the community.

War Child Volunteers

Our volunteers are a team of committed and friendly folks who represent War Child across the continent. As a small NGO, our volunteer team plays a huge role in getting the word out and attending events and promoting awareness campaigns.

War Child is extremely grateful for the support of all our volunteers. We are committed to offering a rewarding experience that matches the abilities and needs of those volunteering. By applying for a volunteer position that fits you best, you are helping by lending your capabilities to the organization.

While many of our volunteer positions take place within the Toronto area, War Child’s Community Catalyst position has a far broader range. This position encourages volunteers to connect their personal networks and communities with War Child. As self-starters, Community Catalysts take on projects within their scope of comfort, be it organizing fundraisers, raising awareness, or participating in War Child’s national campaigns. Community Catalysts help to inform people about War Child’s projects, in hopes that they too will become supporters.
 
 

FIND SAMANTHA HERE:

 

Dr. Samantha Nutt (SamanthaNutt) on Twitter

Samantha Nutt | Facebook

Samantha Nutt | TVO

Dr. Samantha Nutt – Website

 

 
 
 

A Celebration of Women™

welcomes this woman with open arms, celebrating her global efforts in bettering the lives of women and children in some of the most davastated spots on our planet. We look forward to many future collaborations.

 

 

Brava Samantha!