Weaam Youssef, is a senior program and protection specialist committed to advancing the rights, safety, and agency of women across the MENA / SWANA region and the Global South with over 15 years of experience in human rights, displacement, and gender justice. Weaam’s work focuses on designing and leading impactful programs that strengthen protection systems, inform policy development, and drive evidence-based advocacy, grounded in inclusive partnerships, safeguarding, and participatory consultations.
She brings deep expertise in human rights protection, urgent response, risk assessment, and strategic advocacy, complemented by a strong track record in program leadership, team management, and cross-regional collaboration. Throughout her career, Weaam has supported women human rights defenders and marginalized communities facing reprisals, displacement, and complex security risks, while contributing to the development of research, advocacy materials, and human rights trainings.
Her academic background includes an MA in Applied Human Rights from the University of York (Chevening Scholar), a Migration Policy Fellowship at the European University Institute, and a Forced Migration & Refugee Studies Fellowship at the University of Oxford. She also holds a Humanitarian Diplomacy Diploma from Diplo Foundation and was awarded the SDGs & the Law Scholarship at the University of Cambridge.
In addition to her programmatic work, she serves in multiple advisory and strategic roles, including as an Advisory Committee Member with AWID, an Advisor to the Urgent Action Fund (UAF) for the MENA / SWANA region, and an Advocacy Lead within CIVICUS. She has further contributed to global protection and advocacy efforts through engagement in international networks and Advocacy Working Groups focused on Women Human Rights Defenders.
She remains dedicated to advancing gender equality, intersectional protection, and sustainable social change through collaborative, rights-based approaches.

Participant in: August 2016 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes 

August 2022 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding