Simin Ibnat Dharitree, MA Gender & Development class of 2024, wrote her dissertation on unpaid care in Gaza whilst the uprising in her home country Bangladesh was taking place. In this blog post, Simin talks about the impacts this had on her and the support she received from her IDS classmates and teachers, as well as the wider University of Sussex community.
A passion for gender and development
Throughout my academic journey, I developed a strong interest in and passion for gender. In addition, identifying as a woman in a patriarchal society fuels the desire to challenge and change the system. I would read, write, and debate about gender rights, but I felt the need to learn and unlearn more to create meaningful and substantial change.
I knew I wanted to work in development, and when I read about the approach that IDS takes on its MA Gender & Development programme, I became determined to pursue this specific degree. I was very particular about studying MA Gender as part of IDS and not pursuing any other programme.
There were a few other practical reasons I chose IDS. IDS’ number one ranking in development studies, word of mouth (everyone who has studied at IDS had only good things to say about IDS), the Fellows in MA Gender, and overall, I look up to the people at IDS – the idea of being taught by them fascinated me.
Unpaid care amidst genocide
Since 7 October 2023, Gaza, Palestine has been enduring a humanitarian crisis – a genocide. My dissertation – titled ‘Rethinking Unpaid Care Amidst Genocide in Gaza, Palestine’ unpicks the concept of unpaid care work within this context, focusing on who the ‘caregivers’ are and what ‘caregiving’ entails during such extraordinary circumstances.
Through qualitative analysis of secondary data, the study examines how genocide transforms unpaid care work, drawing on concepts of unpaid care, the home as a site of war, and domicide. The findings reveal that the nature of unpaid care shifts due to domicide and displacement; while caregiving becomes a collective responsibility, traditional gender norms largely persist. The paper concludes that in the face of genocide, caregiving serves as an act of resistance, with caregivers emerging as frontliners.
My intentions behind writing this paper went beyond academic achievement. My aim was to read about and show solidarity with Palestine. I wrote it for Muhammad, a man with Down syndrome, who was “left to die by Israeli soldiers after a combat dog attack”. I wrote it for the thousands of children who were forced to grow up overnight, for those who have lost loved ones or live in constant fear of losing them, for the parents who lost their children – the soul of their soul. And I wrote it for myself, to feel less guilty about my inability to do anything.
Support and solidarity
This past year (2023-24) has taught me more than I ever expected, with both joyous and challenging moments. On one hand, I was deeply affected by the news from Gaza, which broke my heart every day. On the other hand, my home country, Bangladesh, was going through a very difficult time. I was away from my family and friends, who have always been my biggest cheerleaders, and there were weeks when I was unable to communicate with them. The situation was so dire that I had no idea whether they were safe, as I watched updates on how many people had died in the protests.
I was unable to work for more than 15 days when this was happening. I was devastated, I cried the whole time and obsessively followed news from the country. Every time I wanted to study for my dissertation, I was also going through news about Gaza which was more devastating. I broke down multiple times in the student centre. My friends and people around me were the kindest. They helped me feel alright about not working. In addition, I got six days of counselling, which really helped to keep me on track with work. I talked to my counsellor about my feelings, we discussed different tools that might get me back to work, and I updated her on my progress, which gave me some accountability and comfort. And as I was on a Chevening Scholarship, I had a fixed deadline to finish the dissertation.
I am beyond thankful for my self-made family here in Brighton who gave me love, warmth, and comfort. During the uprising I got in touch with the Bangladeshi community at the University of Sussex. Being with other people who also have families back home was somewhat comforting, I understood the importance of community during this time. And my dissertation supervisor, Samreen Mushtaq was so supportive. In addition to helping me to improve my writing, Samreen was a source of great kindness during these challenging times. The teachers, the staff and the student union helped me a lot.
All these things together ensured I submitted my dissertation on time. And I have to say it was the right decision for me. I finished very satisfied with my paper. It indeed is my best work to date, and I am grateful for everyone who was there for me.

Unlearning and rethinking
My favourite moments at IDS were mostly in the classroom and my favourite people were my lecturers. I felt like a little girl in awe of each person who taught us. I was a true fan, completely awestruck by the brilliance of their lectures. Every class left me mind blown as I learned something new from the teachers and my peers.
At the same time, I was constantly unlearning and rethinking preconceived notions. I realised how warmly we were encouraged to ask questions and how easy it was to seek support and guidance. Learning became an experience that was not only fun and engaging but also deeply emotional.
Beyond academics, the panto must be one of the biggest highlights of this year. I had the opportunity to direct, act, dance, and sing. During this time, I also formed amazing friendships that I still cherish, and I know these bonds are for life.

Beyond IDS: bringing about positive change
I am now back in Dhaka and have joined BRAC Bangladesh in a new role as a Communications Consultant in the BRAC Communications team. My work involves a great deal of reading and writing, and I am thoroughly enjoying my role.
The lessons from MA Gender have profoundly shaped me, both personally and professionally. I genuinely feel that I am bringing something valuable to the table, which has the potential to bring about substantial positive change in the world.
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