Fellowship Alumnae

Zvijezdana Marković is a gender equality and human rights professional with over 12 years of experience advancing women’s empowerment, gender-responsive governance, peacebuilding, and social cohesion in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She currently serves as a Programme Coordination Analyst at UN Women, where she leads the implementation of UN Women’s component of the Joint UN Programme on Hate Speech and Divisive Narratives, overseeing strategic planning, coordination, monitoring, reporting, advocacy, and partnerships across government institutions, civil society, media, and cultural actors.

Previously, Zvijezdana worked as a Monitoring, Reporting and Coordination Analyst at UN Women, playing a key role in integrating gender equality and women’s empowerment across the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and strengthening inter-agency coordination through the Gender Theme Group and International Working Group on Gender Equality. Her work has contributed to improved institutional accountability, gender-responsive policies, and stronger collaboration between UN agencies, national gender mechanisms, and women’s rights organizations.

Her earlier experience includes advisory and coordination roles with IOM, the National Democratic Institute, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly, and Foundation United Women, where she provided legal aid to women survivors of violence, supported gender-based legal reforms, trained female parliamentarians, and led youth and reconciliation initiatives.

Zvijezdana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law and is an MBA candidate at International Burch University. She is trained in gender-responsive evaluation, results-based management, and human rights–based approaches, and is a published author on constitutional law, austerity policies, and women’s rights.

Participant in: February 2026 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Walaa Ahmed is a policy and strategic leadership expert with over 15 years’ experience spanning government, politics, academia, civil society, and the private sector. As Sudan’s youngest and first female Minister of Youth and Sports, she led national reforms and institutional transformation during a period of transition, demonstrating innovation and resilience in complex political settings. She is the former Chairperson of the East and Central African Regional Advisory Board for the Mandela Washington Fellowship for young African Leaders. 

Walaa served in the public sector, she was the first female mechanical engineer in Sudan’s Sugar Company’s workshop since its establishment, she also worked at Sudanese Standards and Metrology Organization. In addition to that she worked in the private sector as Process Integration Specialist at DAL Group, Sudan’s Largest Conglomerate, the civil society, and as a Lecturer at Sudan University for Science and Technology. Walaa founded and led several initiatives in Sudan and across the African continent, she was part of the peaceful revolution that overthrew the 30 years of dictatorship in Sudan. Walaa was selected among the 100 most influential young Africans in 2020 by Africa Youth Award and among the 100 most influential African women by AvanceMedia. 

Holding Masters degrees in Mechanical Engineering (Imperial College London) and Public Policy (University of Oxford), her work bridges technical and policy domains , from energy transition to digital governance. Her Oxford policy report, ‘Scaling Solar in Africa: Technical Realities and Policy Lessons from Nigeria’, provides practical insights for designing resilient solar solutions to meet Africa’s rising energy demand. 

Participant in:

February 2026 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Shukri Abdullahi is a gender, research and conflict specialist with extensive experience working across Somalia and Somaliland, focusing on women’s rights, peacebuilding, civic engagement, and protection in conflict-affected and displacement settings. Over the past eight years, she has led and contributed to research, evaluations, and gender programming with national and international organisations, including work on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), access to justice, localisation, and women’s political participation. Her work has covered a wide range of thematic areas; violence against women and children in IDP settlements, menstrual health management, immunisation barriers, and gender-sensitive humanitarian response. She has worked closely with women’s organisations, civic space actors such as SONSAF and Nagaad, and community-level networks to strengthen women’s voice, representation, and leadership in peace and governance processes. Her recent focus includes conducting conflict and power analyses in displacement settings, examining identity, stereotypes, and structural inequalities that shape women’s lived experiences. Across her roles, she has consistently applied a WPS lens, promoting safe programming, supporting women’s meaningful participation, and generating evidence to inform gender-responsive policies and interventions. She brings a deep understanding of the Somali context, strong research expertise, and a commitment to amplifying women’s leadership in conflict transformation and peacebuilding.

Participant in:

February 2026 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Revşen Berfin Coşkun is a PhD researcher at KU Leuven in Belgium. She holds a background in sociology and political science and completed her master’s degree in Conflict and Development Studies at Ghent University. Her master’s thesis, Ethnic Identity from an Intergenerational Perspective: An Ethnographic Study of Kurds in Diyarbakır, Turkey, examined intergenerational dynamics of Kurdish identity in Turkey.

Her academic and professional work focuses on peacebuilding, social cohesion, and the role of media and culture in shaping political and social identities. Before starting her doctoral studies, Berfin worked as a senior researcher at the Kurdish Studies Center (KSC), where she contributed to research projects on Kurdish society, public opinion, and conflict dynamics in Turkey. She also served as a project coordinator at the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), supporting projects related to social cohesion and livelihoods.

Alongside her academic work, Berfin is actively involved in civil-society initiatives focused on dialogue and inclusive peace processes. She is a board member of Young Peacebuilders of Turkey and a member of the Turkey chapter of the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network. Through her research and civil-society engagement, she is particularly interested in youth participation, gender inclusion, and the role of knowledge production in supporting sustainable peace.

Participant in:
February 2026 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Peculiar Caleb is the President and Board Chair of the Africa Network Campaign on Education for All (ANCEFA), a continental civil society network advocating for equitable, inclusive, and quality education across Africa. In this role, she contributes to regional advocacy efforts aimed at strengthening education systems, advancing policy dialogue, and promoting accountability for education commitments across African countries.

She is also currently the National Moderator and Board Chair of the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA), a coalition advocating for girls’ and women’s rights to quality education, especially in conflict-affected and violence-prone communities across Nigeria. In this role, she leads national advocacy efforts, strengthens civil society coordination, and consistently calls attention to the urgent need for education in emergencies as insecurity continues to force school closures and disrupt learning. She works closely with government actors, community leaders, and youth networks to ensure that girls in vulnerable communities remain at the center of education recovery, safety planning, and national policy dialogue.

Alongside her national and regional leadership, she serves as the Executive Director of Achieving Girl Pride Initiative (AGIP INITIATIVE), where she has spent over five years working directly with women, girls, and young people in crisis-affected communities. Through AGIP Initiative, she designed and led the S.A.F.E. Circles project in Adamawa State, an initiative that trained youth mentors within IDP camps to identify, support, and safely refer GBV survivors while creating trusted spaces where women could speak openly about their experiences. Her work blends community mobilization, youth engagement, and survivor-centered advocacy, reflecting her commitment to the pillars of UNSCR 1325 participation, protection, prevention, and recovery. She remains driven by the belief that sustainable peace begins at the community level and that women and girls must be supported and empowered to lead those efforts.

Participant in: February 2026 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Marzia Ayubi is a humanitarian protection specialist with extensive experience supporting conflict-affected communities across Asia, the Middle East, the Balkans, and East Africa. 

Her background includes managing large-scale humanitarian and protection programmes in Afghanistan, Serbia, South Sudan, Iraq, and Uganda, covering protection case management, psychosocial support, community-based protection, legal aid, and GBV prevention and response. She has also led capacity-building for diverse teams and partners on GBV, protection coordination, and community-led protection strategies, advancing women’s leadership and meaningful participation in humanitarian action. As a consultant supporting Afghan diaspora organizations, she has delivered protection and advocacy trainings and conferences, and strengthened organizational strategies and networks, contributing to broader policy influence and women-led advocacy efforts.

February 2026 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Marina Garcez is a human-rights lawyer and researcher with extensive experience documenting abuses, monitoring civic space, and advancing advocacy and strategic litigation strategies across Latin America. She has worked with leading organizations such as Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute, and the Center for Justice and International Law, contributing to reports and petitions before UN and Inter-American mechanisms.

Marina is co-founder of the group WILPF Brazil and has served as a Women, Peace and Security fellow with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, where she monitored UN Security Council reports and supported policy briefs. Her professional focus has centred on gender-based violence, freedom of expression, and the protection of human rights defenders, combining rigorous legal analysis with advocacy and training. Marina speaks Portuguese, Spanish, English, and French and holds an LL.B. in Law and an LL.M. in International Law.

Participant in:

February 2026 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Katherine Martell is a Latin American practitioner specializing in gender equality, youth empowerment, and community-based approaches to violence prevention and peacebuilding. With over eight years of experience designing, coordinating, and evaluating multi-country initiatives, she has worked extensively with adolescent girls, women leaders, and grassroots organizations to strengthen protective environments, expand civic participation, and promote conflict-sensitive programming. Her work emphasizes developing safeguarding frameworks, building local capacity for early detection of gender-based risks, and facilitating cross-cultural learning among communities navigating structural inequality and social instability. Fluent in English, Spanish, and French, she brings a regional perspective to the Women, Peace and Security agenda, with a strong focus on participation and prevention as tools to advance inclusive, feminist, and context-responsive peacebuilding processes.

Participant in:

February 2026 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Dopgima Stella Espe Eteki Njoh is an accomplished community development practitioner and gender advocate with more than 18 years of experience advancing women’s empowerment, peacebuilding, and social cohesion in Cameroon. Her long-standing commitment to promoting peace and strengthening women’s rights earned her national recognition as the 2024 Peace Woman of the Year in Cameroon.

In her current role, she serves with the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family as the Director of the Women Empowerment and Family Centre in Buea, where she oversees program development and implementation. She leads initiatives that equip women with economic, leadership, and livelihood skills, while supporting survivors of conflict-related vulnerabilities through trauma-aware and gender-responsive services.

Stella is also the Founder and CEO of the Centre for Youth and Family Empowerment (CEYOFE), a community-based organization working to enhance the wellbeing of women, youth, and families. CEYOFE is the only organization in the South West Region of Cameroon actively localizing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, bridging policy commitments with community-level action. CEYOFE implements programmes that promote women’s participation in peacebuilding, strengthen early-warning and conflict-mitigation mechanisms, and build the resilience of women and girls affected by conflict.

Stella holds a Master’s degree in Women and Development from Ewha Woman’s University in South Korea, and has established herself as a leading voice in gender equality, conflict prevention, and community resilience. 

Participant in: February 2026 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Alma Anaam is a grassroots feminist and women’s rights defender from Yemen, currently based in Ireland. She began her activism during the 2011 Arab Uprising in Yemen and has since built more than a decade of experience across the humanitarian, development, and refugee-support sectors in Yemen, the Horn of Africa, and Ireland.
Alma has held both leadership and technical roles with international organisations, where she has led gender analysis, safeguarding systems, conflict-sensitive programming, refugee, and community engagement initiatives.
A committed advocate for feminist issues both internationally and locally, she is a long-standing member of the Intersectional Feminist Collective (IFC), an alumna of the Women in Conflict 1325 Resolution Fellowship (2020), and a member of the 1325 Fellowship Advisory Board with Beyond Borders Scotland. In addition, she is a published writer, with articles on gender, patriarchy, and humanitarian practice.
Alma is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Gender, Politics, and International Relations at University College Dublin.

Participant in:

November/December 2020 and February 2026 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Aliya Harir is a peacebuilding and gender equality practitioner from Chitral, Pakistan, with experience in child protection, adolescent engagement, religious freedom, and rights based programming. Her work is based on feminist, participatory, and preventative lens on the peace-humanitarian- development nexus.

She currently consults with the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkwa in programming for prevention of violence against children and women, empowering adolescents, and peacebuilding, and systems strengthening work. She most recently served as Child Protection Officer with UNICEF in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, where she provided technical guidance to government to strengthen child protection systems, case management for gender inclusive children protection programming, community-based protection mechanisms, and supporting adolescents through creative/locally grounded approaches in protection, prevention – in 21 (settled and merged) districts of the province. Her work with other organizations has also focused on inclusive programming on social cohesion, rights of religious minorities, women’s political empowerment. She has been part of multiple fellowships and advisory boards focused on women rights, violence prevention, religious freedom, and countering violent extremism. She was awarded the N-Peace Award by UNDP in 2017 for her work in fostering peace between India and Pakistan, including leading delegations of women across borders. During her MPhil from Quaid-i-Azam University, her academic work focused on localizing UNSCR 1325 in Pakistan and reimagining security through the lived experiences of women and girls in peripheral and patriarchal settings (like Chitral).

Participant in:

February 2026 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Than Zin is originally from Myanmar and currently residing in the UK. She holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Sussex. She is now working at a London-based charity which supports children from marginalized backgrounds. Her professional experience lies in advancing women’s leadership in Asia, where she managed a global leadership programme for emerging women leaders across the globe, a mentorship programme for human rights practitioners from Southeast Asia, and a mentorship initiative that supported the resilience of refugees along the Thai-Myanmar border. Her commitment towards women’s leadership and human rights is deeply intersectional, grounded in her lived experience and her belief that empathy must be at the heart of meaningful social change and the pursuit of justice.

Academically and personally, Than Zin’s work focuses on violent conflict and justice. Her research has examined violent conflict and wartime polarization in Myanmar, as well as social protection in conflict-affected and fragile contexts. She is committed to advancing accountability for perpetrators of violent conflict and aspires to build safety nets that protect women and survivors in conflict-affected areas who remain vulnerable to systemic oppression. She believes that there can be no peace without justice and continues to advocate for a future rooted in empathy, accountability, and justice.

Sittie Janine M. Gamao is the Chief of the Peace Education Division at the Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, Philippines. She leads initiatives on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), preventing and countering violent extremism, transitional justice and reconciliation, and peace education. Her commitment to peacebuilding is not only professional but also deeply personal, grounded in her advocacy for inclusive and enduring peace in the Bangsamoro amid its dynamic peace and security situation. She uses these platforms to amplify the voices of vulnerable women at the margins, particularly widows and orphans of violent conflict, as well as women mediators.

Janine is also at the helm of the Bangsamoro Peace Institute, which strengthens the capacities of peace practitioners in the region. Among its notable initiatives, she conceptualized the Advanced Course on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), now implemented for three cohorts, to build stronger constituencies and advocacy for WPS in the Bangsamoro’s political transition.

Saummya Amarasinghe is a peacebuilding practitioner with over a decade of experience working with local and international non-profit organizations across diverse communities to promote social cohesion and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. Her work focuses on developing creative and participatory approaches to peacebuilding that encourage dialogue, empathy, and inclusive engagement.

Saummya has worked extensively on community media initiatives, including forum theatre, radio drama, and community video storytelling, using these platforms to amplify community voices and foster dialogue on sensitive social issues. She was involved in implementing the Travelling History Museum, an initiative designed to encourage more inclusive and pluralistic public discourse surrounding Sri Lanka’s history. She has also managed projects that engage youth and women political leaders to raise awareness about the impacts of online hate speech and to build their capacity to produce positive digital content that promotes peace and reconciliation. Her work in digital peacebuilding explores how online spaces can be transformed into platforms for constructive engagement rather than division.

Saummya brings strong expertise in project management and monitoring and evaluation, along with subject knowledge in transitional justice, conflict transformation, pluralism, and non-violent communication.

In addition to her professional work, Saummya was a founding member of the People’s University at GotaGoGama, established during Sri Lanka’s 2022 People’s Struggle at the Galle Face protest site. During the height of the protest movement, the People’s University served as an alternative intellectual platform that challenged traditional forms of knowledge production and created a space for ordinary people to share their ideas and engage in critical dialogue.

Participant in: October 2025 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Maha is a peacebuilding and localization specialist with extensive experience leading over 20 projects in Iraq on reintegration, preventing violent extremism (PVE), climate security, and women’s empowerment. Currently with IOM-UN Migration, she has established and supported initiatives such as the PVE Women’s Working Group and 13 local Crisis Committees, enabling women leaders to mediate conflicts, prevent honour killings, and support returnee reintegration. Rooted in the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, her work emphasizes trauma-informed, gender-sensitive approaches and collaboration with local CSOs to ensure dignity and meaningful participation for marginalized women. She is passionate about amplifying women’s voices in policy and peace processes and aims to expand her impact across the region through inclusive, locally driven solutions.

Elisa Niño Vázquez is a feminist researcher, educator, and activist whose work bridges academic inquiry and grassroots engagement in contexts marked by systemic violence. Trained in psychology, gender studies, and Latin American studies, she brings an interdisciplinary lens to conflict, with particular attention to the emotional, cultural, and political dimensions of harm. Her collaboration with the Mexican Forensic Anthropology Team (EMAF) on disappearances and femicide in Guerrero has highlighted the gendered impacts of organized crime and impunity, while her facilitation of creative workshops has created community-based strategies for collective healing and resistance. She founded Remendarnos, a project dedicated to exploring conflict and care within community settings, fostering non-punitive approaches to repair and coexistence. She has also worked with collectives supporting the development of non-punitive conflict management protocols and fostering inclusive spaces of care and dignity. Elisa has actively lobbied for migrant women’s rights in Chile, designed and delivered trainings on gender, inclusion, and non-discrimination, and collaborated with institutions across Latin America to develop tools for addressing sexual violence. Her commitment to feminist, antiracist, and decolonial perspectives links diverse tools with transformative practices for peacebuilding and social justice.

Participant in:

October 2025 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Laura Elhayek holds a Master’s degree in Human Rights from the University of Sussex in England and a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature from Al Azhar University of Gaza in Palestine. Laura currently serves as a Women, Peace, Security, and Humanitarian Action Programme Associate at UN Women Regional Office for the Arab States, where she supports gender equality and peacebuilding initiatives across conflict-affected countries. Prior to this role, she worked with the UN Women Palestine Country Office, contributing to programmes that support women in some of the region’s most challenging humanitarian contexts.

Growing up and working in Palestine—under conditions of occupation, blockade, repeated violence, and most recently the genocide—has deeply shaped Laura’s commitment to supporting people affected by war and displacement. Her lived experience fuels her dedication to inclusive peacebuilding and to helping communities, especially women and girls, recover and rebuild with dignity.

With nearly five years of experience in international human rights organizations—including the Euro-Mediterranean Monitor for Human Rights, ImpACT International for Human Rights Policies, and ALQST for Human Rights—Laura has developed strong expertise in research, advocacy, and programme coordination.

Deeply committed to human rights and philanthropy, she focuses on supporting marginalized communities in conflict zones to realize their rights, reclaim their voices, and lead transformative change.

Karen Arteaga Garzón is a feminist peacebuilder and dialogue facilitator with over a decade of experience supporting inclusive, community-led peace processes in Colombia. As Executive Director of Rodeemos el Diálogo (Embrace Dialogue, ReD), she coordinates multi-stakeholder projects on dialogue, memory, reconciliation, and peace pedagogy. Currently, Karen serves on the Technical Secretariat in the peace negotiations between the Colombian government and the armed group Comuneros del Sur, providing methodological and strategic support to advance a restorative and participatory approach. Her work has focused on creating spaces that elevate women’s voices, integrate restorative justice practices, and strengthen civil society’s role in peacebuilding. She brings expertise in designing collaborative methodologies with a gender and restorative lens, bridging grassroots initiatives with national and international policy arenas. She has also partnered with academic institutions in the UK and beyond to research polarisation, unarmed civilian protection, and transitional justice—always with a focus on women’s meaningful participation in peacebuilding. For Karen, peacebuilding is both professional and personal: a commitment to ensure that women are not only present but central in transforming conflict. She believes in the power of dialogue, feminist practices, and restorative justice to heal divides and reimagine relationships.

Jomana O. Abunahla is a Palestinian researcher, writer, and advocate from Gaza. She is currently pursuing an MSc in Global Migration and Social Justice at the University of Glasgow, and her work focuses on forced displacement, refugee rights, gender justice, and storytelling that centres the voices of displaced communities.

Participant in:

October 2025 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Iyali Bachir Saadi works as a Gender, Protection & Empowerment Coordinator with Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) in Northeast Syria, where she leads integrated programming on gender-based violence (GBV), protection, and countering violent extremism across Raqqa, Deir-ez-Zor, Al-Hasakah, and other conflict-affected regions. With over eight years of humanitarian and development experience, she has coordinated Women & Girls Safe Spaces, case management services, community-based protection committees, and economic empowerment initiatives, while ensuring gender-responsive approaches are mainstreamed across sectors. As NPA’s PSEA focal point, she also drives accountability and safeguarding systems.

Iyala holds an MA in Gender, Violence, and Conflict from the University of Sussex as a Chevening Scholar (2023/24). Her research focused on women’s agency in GBV case management in Syria, reflecting her commitment to amplifying local voices and advancing feminist, intersectional approaches in conflict-affected contexts. Iyala’s work combines practice, research, and advocacy, engaging with local civil society and international actors to influence policy and practice. Recently she has been contributing in drafting the Gender Strategy across Syria alongside with other NGOs. Through the Fellowship, she seeks to deepen her contribution to global dialogues on women’s leadership in peacebuilding, transitional justice, and gender equality in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

Hanaa Muntasser is a dedicated advocate for women’s rights and justice in Libya, bringing over 14 years of professional experience in leading development and peacebuilding programs. Her work has focused on reconciliation, transitional justice, and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, with programs funded by international partners, including USAID and the European Union. She has consistently ensured high-quality implementation, strong accountability, and sustainable impact.
Hanaa has played a pivotal role in advancing initiatives that promote women’s meaningful participation in peace processes, address gender-based violence (GBV), and strengthen the rule of law in Libya. With a strong legal background and deep engagement with Libyan civil society, she has significantly contributed to the design and implementation of programs focused on human rights, access to justice, and justice-sector reform.
One of her most notable achievements is the establishment and management of Libya’s first coordinated legal aid network for survivors of GBV. Through close collaboration with civil society organizations and legal professionals, the network has provided essential legal representation, psychosocial counselling, and protection services to survivors.
In addition to her programmatic work, Hanaa is a researcher who has conducted several important studies, including a comprehensive report on the status of women in Libya that examines the gap between de facto realities and legal protections. She has also led assessments on the status of reconciliation in Libya and the critical role of women in advancing sustainable peace.

Participant in:

October 2025 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Chourouk Kouteich is a Gender Equality, Safeguarding, and Social Inclusion Specialist with over a decade of experience working at the intersection of humanitarian response, peacebuilding, and institutional reform in conflict-affected contexts. Based in Lebanon, she has led the integration of gender-transformative and disability-inclusive approaches across multi-sectoral programming, including livelihoods, education, protection, CVA, and social cohesion initiatives.

Her work bridges policy and practice, supporting organizations to strengthen safeguarding systems, mainstream gender and disability inclusion, and design conflict-sensitive strategies aligned with global frameworks such as the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Chourouk has trained faith leaders, educators, civil society actors, and frontline staff on gender equality, conflict sensitivity, sexual harassment prevention, and community-based peacebuilding.

She is also the co-founder of “Joulia’s Friends,” a grassroots initiative supporting displaced communities and amplifying women’s leadership in humanitarian action. Passionate about feminist leadership and locally led peace processes, Chourouk brings a practitioner’s perspective grounded in field experience, institutional advocacy, and community engagement.

Participant in:

October 2025 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Ayesha Akther Eti is a development professional and emerging researcher with expertise in gender equality, youth empowerment, and climate resilience. She currently serves as an Officer – Research at Plan International Bangladesh, where she leads and supports organisational research initiatives, designs mixed‑method studies, strengthens data systems, and facilitates evidence generation to improve programme quality. Her work emphasizes rigorous analysis, ethical data practices, and translating insights into actionable recommendations for policy, programming, and learning. In her role, Ayesha also contributes to the Rohingya Nexus in Cox’s Bazar, supporting research and learning initiatives within the humanitarian–development continuum. Her contributions help strengthen programme adaptation, monitoring frameworks, and strategic knowledge products within the nexus context.

Previously, Ayesha served as a Young Professional in the Programme Quality & Innovation (PQI) unit at Plan International Bangladesh. In this role, she contributed to innovation capture, research design, data quality assurance, and organizational knowledge management. Her contributions supported major initiatives such as SRHR programme design, youth‑led organizational assessments, climate and livelihood study-sharing events, and global research efforts including The State of the World’s Girls 2025.

Eti’s academic and research background includes climate change research at C3ER, BRAC University, and governance-focused work with the Micro-governance Research Initiative. Her master’s dissertation explored climate-induced migration and policy responses in Bangladesh’s coastal region, reflecting her deep commitment to climate justice and resilience.

As the Founder of World Youth Army, she leads youth advocacy on climate action, and community empowerment. She is also a Women in Conflict 1325 Fellow (2025), Asia Solidarity Lab Fellow (2024), delegate at Bangladesh Youth Delegation to India (2024) and recipient of multiple national awards, including the Hero Award (2022) and Joy Bangla Youth Award (2020).

Eti remains devoted to building inclusive, gender-responsive, and climate-resilient futures.

Participant in: October 2025 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Memory Tapela Banda is an optimistic and visionary youth leader who is dedicated to changing the face of leadership, equality and discrimination in Zambia and beyond. She is an education activist, a women’s youth peace and security advocate and a human rights defender. She is the founder of the Safeguarding Alliance of Children and Women’s Rights and the Zambian Disability Matters Organization. She currently working with the Southern Africa Youth Forum as a SADC Youth Parliamentarian. She is the Country Representative and Director of Social Gender Protection at the Africa Union for Persons with Disabilities and the task force lead at Theirworld under the Gender and Education Task Team (AUPA). Memory is an award-winning humanitarian, peace builder and human rights defender.

Participant in: October 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Safa Al-Humaidi is a humanitarian professional committed to strengthening accountability, resilience, and inclusive systems in conflict-affected contexts. With experience working in complex environments, she is passionate about advancing women’s leadership and contributing to sustainable peace and recovery.

As a participant in the 2024 Women in Conflict Fellowship in Scotland, she continues to engage in dialogue, learning, and collaboration to amplify women’s voices in shaping equitable futures.

Participant in: October 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Alba Purroy, is a Venezuelan social activist and peacebuilder. Her focus is on supporting the strengthening of Venezuelan women at grassroots level to promote their representation where decisions are taken, and their contribution to conflict resolution, reconciliation and reconstruction of social fabric. She is currently a team member of the United States Institute of Peace, Nonviolent Action group as part of the Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding (SNAP) facilitator network in Venezuela. She has created a special seven-part Women Peace and Security curriculum tailored to the Venezuelan context. They conducted a train-the-trainers workshop in April 2023, developing 12 WPS trainings achieving around 240 women in 6 different regions across Venezuela. 

Alba has been trained with the International Center for Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC), with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and with the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP) of Mennonite University in Virginia US on issues of Nonviolent Strategic Action, Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution. More recently, she received a Professional Development Certificate in Peace and Conflict Resolution from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand as a part of Rotary Peace fellowship award. She was awarded last May with the John Lewis Peace fellowship from the United States Institute of Peace. 

Participant in: October 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Sahar Ammar is a peacebuilding and mediation practitioner with extensive experience supporting dialogue and political processes in complex conflict settings. She currently serves as a Program Officer at Swisspeace and previously worked as a mediation practitioner at the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. Sahar has also collaborated with several international institutions, including DCAF, the Essex Transitional Justice Network, and the International Center for Transitional Justice. Her work includes advising and accompanying Track I mediation and negotiation processes, including those leading to ceasefire agreements and power-sharing settlements. She also designs, facilitates, and advises on multi-track and multi-stakeholder dialogue, mediation, and reconciliation processes. Sahar provides strategic advice to national and local stakeholders engaged in political and peacebuilding processes, as well as to United Nations entities and mechanisms working in conflict and post-conflict contexts on issues related to civil society participation, inclusive approaches, and political analysis. She also delivers capacity-building on peacebuilding, mediation, negotiations, transitional justice, conflict analysis for a wide range of international and national actors working in conflict and post-conflict contexts. Sahar regularly contributes as an expert in courses organized by Swisspeace and the University of Basel, as well as other institutions including The Fletcher School at Tufts University. Sahar has contributed to several research projects and has published widely on issues related to reconciliation, power-sharing settlements, national dialogue and transitional justice. Her professional experience spans multiple conflict contexts, including Syria, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, Iraq, Lebanon, Cameroon, and Afghanistan. Sahar holds a multidisciplinary academic background in international law, mediation, and transitional justice.

Participant in: October 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Danyah Ghazi is a skilled individual with over five years of experience as a Project Support Assistant with UNDP Syria. Her work with UNDP includes work on the Context Sensitivity Team (CST), Social and Environmental Safeguards, the Early Recovery and Livelihood Sector, and the Japan Donor Focal Point Team. Danyah’s experience covers a range of areas including administrative support, gender and conflict sensitivity, and early recovery. She has also done translation work with Mashrou Wa Nabqa and Insticitif Partners. Danyah holds a bachelor’s degree in Translation and Interpretation from the University of Damascus.

Danyah’s work experience focuses on conflict and gender sensitive project implementation, early recovery and peacebuilding, and accountability to affected populations.

Participant in: October 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Fatma Alahmad is a humanitarian professional and researcher specialising in women’s empowerment, peacebuilding, and conflict resolution in Syria. She currently works with Dar and INSIGHT TRACK Research and Consulting. As a Project Manager and Researcher, she has led numerous initiatives focused on gender dynamics, community leadership, and enhancing women’s participation in decision-making processes. Fatma’s work includes conducting needs assessments, developing strategies for women’s involvement in peacebuilding, and empowering activists through projects like the Agora Project and the Voices of Women Initiative. With extensive experience in conflict zones and a deep commitment to UNSCR 1325, she advocates for gender-responsive governance and sustainable peace. She has worked in various regions of Syria, each under different forms of control, allowing her to navigate complex political and social dynamics in those areas. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Aleppo University and is studying for her Master’s in Post-War/Disaster Reconstruction and Rehabilitation at Ankara Yildirim Bayezid University. 

Participant in: October 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Lihini Ratwatte is an independent researcher and a gender/development practitioner based in Sri Lanka. She is presently the Gender Specialist at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country office in Sri Lanka. Her work in the development sector ranges from research, policy analysis and advocacy to the practical applications of gender, peace, and security.

Lihini’s research focuses on the intersectional development priorities for conflict-affected women within the broader mandate of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda (UNSCR 1325). Her extensive experience in the development sector allows her to bring an applied lens to this research, and in doing so, she examines how UNSCR 1325 can be used to better support conflict-affected women. While her research is primarily based in Sri Lanka, she also examines the regional and global implications of UNSCR 1325 and its localised implementation.

Lihini has published in several academic blogs and journals and she has presented her research on the intersections of gender and peace at international conferences hosted at the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) in Sri Lanka; the Leiden University (Hague Campus) in the Netherlands; and the University of Lisbon in Portugal. Lihini is presently a ‘Women in Conflict – 1325 Fellow’ at Beyond Borders Scotland (United Kingdom) and a ‘Salzburg Global Fellow’ at the Asia Peace Innovators’ Forum of the Salzburg Global Seminar (Austria) where she engages with peace practitioners, policymakers and academics across Asia and Africa to develop inclusive, future-fit peace solutions.

Lihini holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in International Studies, Communications and Gender Studies from Monash University Malaysia (2014); a Master of Arts (MA) in Global Diplomacy from SOAS – University of London, UK (2017), and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK (2023).

Participant in: October 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Jamila-Aisha P. Sanguila, MA, is a Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) analyst and peace practitioner with more than 20 years of experience in peacebuilding and interreligious dialogue. Her research focuses on gender, conflict, and community resilience, especially in post-conflict settings in Mindanao, Philippines.

She previously taught Philippine and Mindanao history at Mindanao State University-Main Campus in Marawi City, and now gives invited lectures and training on peace and conflict, Bangsamoro history, gender, and interreligious dialogue. In 2018, she established the Women Empowered to Act (WE Act) for Dialogue and Peace, which promotes women-led peace initiatives in conflict-affected communities in the
Philippines. Under her leadership, WE Act was named a Women, Peace, and Security Accelerator in the Philippines in 2025, promoting psychosocial recovery and women’s economic and civic participation.

As a Salzburg Global and Beyond Borders Scotland Fellow, she promotes women’s participation in peacebuilding and local governance throughout Southeast Asia, including the Philippines. Her work entails capacity building, dialogue facilitation, mediation training, and incorporating mental health into peacebuilding efforts.

Jamila-Aisha writes about women’s rights, gender, mental health, and violent extremism for Diplomatic Courier and is a member of The Expert Network (TEN) at World in 2050. She has a master’s degree in Gender and Peacebuilding from the United Nations-mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica.

Participant in: October 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Hadiqa Bashir is a 22-year-old activist and feminist from Swat Valley, Pakistan, recognized for her advocacy in girls’ education, human rights, and peacebuilding. She is a survivor of child marriage and has made a significant impact by raising awareness about the struggles of girls and women in conflict-affected regions, particularly in areas once under Taliban control. Hadiqa’s leadership is evident in the historic girls-led peace walk in Swat, which challenged the Taliban’s restrictions on girls’ education, sending a powerful message of resilience. Her efforts have been acknowledged globally, earning her a place as a United Nations SDG Young Leader in 2020. 

As the Founder and Executive Director of Girls United for Human Rights (GUHR), Hadiqa’s work focuses on empowering young women in peace and conflict resolution, especially through the “Girls’ Role in Conflict Resolution” campaign. She actively promotes women’s inclusion in peace processes, particularly in regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where extremism remains a threat. Her work reflects her commitment to ensuring that women’s voices are integral to global peace and security dialogues, pushing for lasting solutions in conflict zones worldwide. 

Participant in: October 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Esther George is a committed gender and peacebuilding advocate. She actively engages with local authorities, community leaders, and civil society organisations to promote peacebuilding efforts, with a focus on enhancing women and youth participation in conflict resolution and mediation. She is the Local Government focal point for the Kaduna State Women Mediators Network by Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative. Her project is focused on Strengthening State and Local Level Peace Architecture for Peacebuilding and Prevention in Kaduna and Katsina State. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Nasarawa State University and is currently studying for her Masters in International Relations. 

She contributes to the development and implementation of community-driven solutions to improve access to justice and protection for marginalised communities. She works on programmatic design and implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda in local Communities. 

Participant in: October 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Khin Thet San is a peace, justice, and human rights educator with a background in promoting good governance and democracy. Originally from Myanmar, Khin pursued an M.A. in Human Rights and Cultural Diversity at the University of Essex, funded by the Open Society Foundation. Prior to this, she worked extensively with international NGOs, local NGOs, and civil society organisations in Myanmar, focusing on peacebuilding, justice, and human rights initiatives. Her work involved collaborating with grassroots communities to promote conflict resolution, transitional justice, and human rights education in regions affected by violence and oppression. With the support of CARA, she secured a fellowship at SOAS, University of London, and is now pursuing a PhD at Goldsmiths, University of London. Her PHd research is titled Religious Nationalism and the Notion of Human Rights in Myanmar. 

In addition to her academic work, Khin volunteers as an educator, teaching Peace and Conflict Studies, Political Science, and International Human Rights Law to young people in Myanmar who have been deprived of education due to military repression. She also provides education on gender, human rights, and women’s leadership to Buddhist nuns, empowering them to take on more active roles in their communities. Her research focuses on human rights violations and the fight for democracy in Myanmar, contributing to global efforts to raise awareness and document abuses under the military regime. 

Participant in: October 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

As the Director of the Labor and Vocational Training Directorate in Halabja, Kurdistan, Tara Mohammed Abdalla has dedicated her efforts to empowering women and youth in a region heavily impacted by conflict. Recently, she worked on a project with the GIZ organisation, where they successfully employed 26 out of 38 women who completed three distinct vocational training courses. These programs are designed to equip women with essential skills for the job market, supporting their financial independence and contributing to community recovery. Her role also involves managing partnerships with over 50 local businesses and NGOs to align our training programs with local job demands and ensure successful job placements. 

In addition to vocational training, she has led initiatives to support women entrepreneurs through grants, mentorship, and business development resources. This experience has given her a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities for women in conflict zones. 

Participant in: October 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Catalina Gil Pinzon is an accomplished project leader and program manager with over 15 years of experience in peacebuilding and security fields. Her work spans various areas, including drug and security policies, police reform, youth violence prevention, innovative memory processes with victims of conflict, and disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of ex-combatants (DDR). Her work emphasizes exploring new narratives and incorporating gender perspectives as a way of driving change towards diversity and inclusion in these sectors. She has collaborated and been part of teams within the Colombian government, international foundations, civil society organizations, and multilateral organizations. Operationally, she excels in managing complex, multi-project portfolios, aligning diverse agendas, and using strategic thinking and creativity to achieveimpactful outcomes. Additionally, she independently leads and promotes initiatives focused on transforming how we understand and approach security through three key areas: the relationship between democracy and security, narrative change, and women’s leadership in the security field. She regularly contributes opinion articles on drug policy, security and gender to various national and international media outlets. She writes frequently for El País and have also been published in El Espectador, Washington Post en Español, and Agenda Pública.

Participant in: October 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Sonya Armaghanyan is a humanitarian worker, community engagement specialist, and a theatre practitioner. Her work focuses on creating spaces of encounter and humanising ‘the other’ by exploring the world from the point of view of the collective and of cultural richness. She is currently working with the Mental Health and Psychological Support Programme for the UN International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and is based in L’viv, Western Ukraine. In the past five years she has worked across programmes focusing on the areas of peacebuilding, social cohesion, and community-based mental health and psychosocial support.  

Sonya specialises in theatre and storytelling and, as part of her work, she uses art-based approaches as a process for community engagement and facilitation of a space where affected communities can share their thoughts and express their feelings in times of crises, regain sense of normalcy, re-establish their sense of belonging, explore their collective identity and strengthen their communal social links. Sonya is the recipient of the Swiss Humanitarian Award 2018 for her research paper “Theatre as Psychosocial Approach in Humanitarian Settings.” She is a Fellow with the Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics at Georgetown University. In 2023, Sonya was nominated for the Gilder/Coigney International Theatre Award. 

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding 

Ksenia (Xisha) Angelova was born in 1975 into a family of architects in Belarus. She is an icon painter, artist and mosaic artist, and graduated from the Belarusian Academy of Fine Arts in 1991–1996. She continued her studies with three-year courses in icon painting from 2006 to 2009.

She has decorated a number of temples and churches in Belarus and Ukraine. Facade frescoes, mosaic
Since 2020 Xisha dedicates herself to the gallery of portraits of Belarusian political prisoners under the title “The Martyrology of Belarus”. She was inspired by the miracle of the humanity of Belarusians that was revealed during the peaceful protests against the falsification of the presidential election results in the summer and autumn of 2020. The number of people who have gone through and are still going through imprisonment, torture, fines and exile is measured in thousands.
“What hurts the most are those who are no longer with us and those who have suffered for many years in prisons under inhumane conditions.”
Many people in prison associate their chance for freedom with the victory of Ukraine.
Ms. Angelova has created more than 1500 portraits of Belarusian political prisoners. The number of portraits is growing every day. Articles about the author’s conception:

Мартыралог Беларусі: партрэты беларускіх палітвязняў Ксішы Ангелавай

Xisha wants her project to contribute to the understanding and healing of the trauma of Belarusians, and to contribute to the rejection of violence.

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding 

Diksha Poddar holds over 10 years experience working at the praxis of grassroots peacebuilding, gender and development in South Asia. She is currently a Research Scholar at the Centre for South Asian Studies, School of International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, where she is studying the processes of narrativization around youth, peacebuilding and arts in South Asia for her PhD thesis. Diksha is associated with WISCOMP (Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace), an initiative of the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, New Delhi, as a Consultant. At WISCOMP, she engages with their initiatives on women, peace and security in South Asia and youth countering violent extremism where she designs and facilitates workshops and discussions with women and youth in conflict through art. Currently, she is leading an award program on women building peace at the grassroots in South Asia. As a scholar-practitioner, Diksha explores creative solutions to peacebuilding with women and youth at its core and, therefore, uses innovative methodologies to produce creative outputs in the form of online portals, webpages, coffee-table compendiums and multimedia presentations. Diksha has also published widely on issues of women, youth, peace and security. 

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding 

Dr. Insha Qayoom Shah is a researcher, educator, and writer working in the fields of literature, mythology, memory, and gender studies. She holds a PhD in English from the University of Kashmir and her doctoral research, explores how contemporary women writers reinterpret classical myths to challenge patriarchal narratives and recover marginalized female voices. Her broader research interests include women’s writing, myth and memory, cultural narratives of war and conflict, and the relationship between literature, identity, and history.

Insha has teaching experience in English literature and language, where she has taught courses on topics such as women’s writing, the works of Saadat Hasan Manto, and engineering ethics. Her teaching emphasizes critical engagement with texts and encourages students to connect literature with social, ethical, and cultural questions.

She is the co-founder of the Umran Academic Research Association (UARA), an initiative that promotes interdisciplinary research and dialogue among early-career scholars. Inspired by the work of Bruce B. Lawrence, UARA focuses on themes of pluralism, cross-cultural exchange, and the intellectual traditions of the Bhakti-Sufi heritage.

Alongside her academic work, Insha writes poetry and practices painting, reflecting her interest in creative expression as a way of exploring memory, identity, and lived experience across cultural and intellectual borders.

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding 

Aeiman Rafiq is a Clinical Psychologist working with SAWAB, a non-governmental organization in Kashmir dedicated to community welfare and community mental health. Her work centres on improving access to psychologically informed care within community settings, with particular attention to the ways cultural context and lived experiences shape mental health.

In her clinical role, Aeiman works with a diverse clinical population, including individuals from conflict-affected backgrounds. Her areas of professional interest include trauma and psychosocial trauma, community mental health, and culturally responsive approaches to psychological care. She is especially interested in understanding how collective experiences of conflict influence psychological wellbeing in Kashmir.

Aeiman also holds a diploma in art therapy, which has informed her use of creative and expressive techniques in working with trauma survivors. She has found that art-based approaches can help individuals access and communicate emotional experiences that may be difficult to articulate verbally.

Alongside her clinical work, Aeiman is interested in developing research in the area of trauma, particularly exploring the relationship between dreams and traumatic experiences. Through her practice and academic interests, she aims to contribute to more culturally grounded and trauma-informed mental health work within the region.

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding 

Eman Taweel has extensive experience in humanitarian and development sectors. She is currently a Community Engagement Officer for the UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Libya. She is also the founder of Nafs Mental Health Awareness Arts Project. Prior to this, she has worked at a range of organisations for development and media across Libya and focussing on Libya, including Amideast Tunisia for their Libya projects, and Moomken For Awareness and Media. She holds a Master’s Degree in International Development from the University of East Anglia and is a Chevening Scholar and MEPI Student Leader Alumni.  

Eman works, also, as a consultant in the development field advising on peace-building and community work. Having experienced ongoing conflict and worked in displacement camps, she has a direct insight into the challenges women face in such circumstances, and she draws inspiration from them to amplify their voices on a broader scale. 

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding 

Rabi Adamu Musa is a transformational leader and the Founder/CEO of Mcrissar Foundation for Women and Girls Nigeria, an organization dedicated to empowering women and girls in marginalized communities. With a distinguished career spanning law, development, and governance, Rabi is a passionate advocate for gender justice and social change.

In 2019, Rabi served as a legal advisor to the Governor of Kaduna State, where she provided critical guidance on governance and policy matters. She has also twice aspired to serve in her state parliament, driven by a deep-seated desire to change the narrative for her community and enact policies that address systemic poverty and inequality. Coming from a region plagued by poverty, illiteracy, and the ravaging impacts of crises, Rabi has remained steadfast in her mission to uplift marginalized groups through initiatives that transform lives.

Through the Mcrissar Foundation, Rabi leads innovative programs such as the “Sanitary Pad Bank,” which provides free menstrual products to high schools and underserved communities in northwest Nigeria, addressing period poverty and promoting menstrual hygiene. She also hosts the annual International Women’s Day Conference in Kaduna, creating a vital platform for dialogue, inspiration, and action toward gender equality.

Rabi is a strong advocate for women’s political participation and provides support to victims of gender-based violence. With a background in civil law from the University of Jos , Nigeria and certifications in leadership and governance from renowned institutions in the USA, Canada, and the UK, she combines her expertise with an unwavering passion for driving social progress. In recognition of her contributions to community development, she was awarded the Katherine Flemming International Development Award in 2021 by the Coady Institute, Canada.

Looking to the future, Rabi aspires to create a safe space for young women in society, fostering their growth and development. Born and raised in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, Nigeria, she remains deeply committed to giving back to her community, promoting peaceful coexistence, and uplifting women and girls. Rabi’s dedication to service and empowerment solidifies her legacy as a changemaker and advocate for justice.

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding 

Kashmala Syeda is a High Court Advocate, documentary producer, and human rights practitioner whose work sits at the intersection of constitutional law, gender justice, and climate advocacy. A graduate of the International Islamic University Islamabad with an LLB (Hons) and LLM, she has been practicing since 2018, representing clients in constitutional, criminal, and human rights matters before district and High Courts. Her legal work focuses on freedom of expression, digital rights, gender based violence, electoral inclusion, and the protection of marginalized communities.
She currently serves as a Legal and Gender Expert with UNDP Pakistan under the PLEDGE Project, supporting the Election Commission of Pakistan in advancing gender mainstreaming and social inclusion frameworks.
As the founder of AAIN Foundation and co-leader of climate storytelling initiatives with Jawad Sharif Films, Kashmala bridges law and narrative. Her documentaries explore climate migration in the Indus Delta, statelessness, minority rights, urban smog, and the lived realities of communities navigating environmental and structural injustice. Projects such as “Moklani – The Last Mohanas,” “Naatari,” “Bhashaili – A Drift,” “The Losing Side,” and “The Colors of Smog” have sparked dialogue in Pakistan and internationally, including screenings and academic discussions in Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Her advocacy extends beyond courtrooms and film sets. Kashmala serves in leadership roles within the Islamabad Bar Council, including Chairperson of the Protection Against Harassment Committee and Senior Vice Chairperson of the Women Empowerment Committee. She is a life member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and actively mentors young lawyers, promoting rights-based legal practice and ethical advocacy.
Internationally, she has been selected for competitive fellowships and litigation programs focused on freedom of expression and peacebuilding. These engagements have strengthened her commitment to cross-regional collaboration and to using law and storytelling as complementary tools for structural reform.
Kashmala’s work is grounded in the belief that law is not merely a set of rules but a living instrument shaped by power, language, and access. Through litigation, policy reform, and documentary storytelling, she continues to build bridges between justice systems and communities whose voices are too often unheard.”

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding 

Alaa Alsewid is the Founder and Director of Social By Design, a UK-based social enterprise empowering refugees and marginalized communities through digital literacy and financial inclusion. A Chevening alumna of the Chevening Scholarship, she holds a Master’s in Media and Public Relations and brings a strong background in communications, storytelling, and campaign strategy.

Alaa designs impact-driven programs that strengthen digital resilience, protect vulnerable communities from online harm, and foster inclusive community development.

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding 

Zain Quaiter grew up surrounded by art, and has used art academically and personally to navigate her identity and experiences of displacement. She is currently the International Programmes Manager for Asia and the Middle East at The King’s Trust International. She recently completed a Masters in Development Studies, where she focussed on two projects, one on memory and collective healing through story-telling, and another on identity and dislocation through painting, using her own body as a canvas. In 2017, she participated in the Arts4Change event in India, where she wrote a song with other fellows about body-image and being a woman.  

While in Syria, Zain used art to build community and create a safe space for young people, especially young women. She has also used song to reflect on her experiences and emotions throughout displacement and personal growth, using song-writing as a storytelling tool to regain agency over her memory and story. 

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding 

Rashida Namulondo is the founder of The Sophie Muwanika Institute of art for change, a non-profit organisation that uses theatre for peace building, healing and rehabilitation for victims of trauma. Rashida is also a theatre-practitioner, actress and award-winning performance poet. Over the past eight years, she has dedicated herself to using the arts to promote peace and reconciliation in post conflict communities and communities vulnerable to conflict in Uganda. She is dedicated to building the capacity of communities in using performing arts to advocate for peace, foster collective healing and collective engagement against violent extremism. Examples of her work with the Sophie Muwanika Institute of Art for Change include the ‘Schools Theatre Festival for Peace’ and ‘Our Voices Arts Community Project.’

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding 

Sofiia Runova is an illustrator, graphic story-teller, and designer from Ukraine. She has a wealth of experience creating graphic novels on topics related to war, conflict, and refugees as well as working in collaboration with journalists and citizens to help them express and share their stories. In 2023,  

In 2023 as an Artist and Designer Sofiia participated in the project “To tell OUR story”, organised by “Libereco – Partnership for human rights”, “East SOS” and “Gustav Stresemann Institut in Niedersachsen e.V.”. One of the project results is a graphic novel that tells 16 stories of young adults from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Ukraine and Afghanistan who faced refuge due to war. She illustrated their stories trying to make them as individual as she could, in close cooperation with authors. Main aim of the project was to give them space to tell their stories and to raise awareness around refugees, wars and armed conflicts. 

In 2022 Sofiia also participated in “Even in the darkness there is a light” project curated by Pictoric – Ukrainian illustrators club. Project is a collaboration between illustrators and citizens, and tells stories of people who “give their peaceful lives to fight against the war”. In 2020 as an Artist and Designer she worked on a project “From Conflict to Dialogue”, held by “Libereco – Partnership for human rights” and “East SOS”, one of the results of which is a graphic novel “I can!” by Dr. Imke Hansen, that provides knowledge on trauma, stress management, dialogue and conflict management. In 2017 as an Artist and Designer she worked on a graphic novel project ‘Crossroads: Nine stories on war and violence’ by multiple authors, organised by ‘Libereco – Partnership for human rights,’ ‘EUCCI’ and ‘Justice for peace in Donbass.’ 

Sofiia is also pondering on a topic of Russian aggression in Ukraine in her personal illustrations,  in such a way documenting my own experience, as well as illustrating news from the media or stories from people she met. 

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding 

Mariam Al-Dhubhani is an award-winning Yemeni-Russian journalist, filmmaker, curator, and educator based in the SWANA region. A 3x TEDx speaker and pioneer in using virtual reality to tell stories from Yemen, she creates work that amplifies marginalized voices and challenges mainstream narratives. Her films have received multiple accolades, including the Most Promising Filmmaker award at the Toronto Arab Film Festival (2019) for In The Middle. She was honoured as a Rising Star at the inaugural QF Alumni Awards by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and named a CineGouna Rising Star at the El Gouna Film Festival, establishing her as a leading voice in Arab and African cinema.
Al-Dhubhani holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Strategic Communication from Northwestern University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Museum and Gallery Practice from University College London. She has mentored young storytellers in conflict zones, served on juries for international film grants and festivals, and collaborated with UN agencies to train journalists in immersive storytelling. Her work blends human stories with innovative cinematic approaches to explore resilience, identity, and the unseen lives of her communities. She is currently completing her feature debut, showcased at prestigious festivals including Cannes, IDFA, and Venice.

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding 

Ranya Al-Jaberi is a humanitarian professional with over a decade of experience spanning safeguarding, child protection, gender-based violence (GBV), and the peace and security nexus. She holds a Master of Advanced Studies in Humanitarian Action from the University of Geneva and a bachelor’s degree in arts and education. Since August 2025, she has served as Safeguarding Investigation Manager with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Geneva.

Before joining MSF, Ranya built extensive field and headquarters experience across UN agencies and international NGOs, including UN Women, the Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub, IOM, UNICEF, and the Danish Refugee Council. Her work has focused on strengthening safeguarding systems, advancing protection frameworks, and addressing gender-based violence in complex humanitarian settings.

Ranya’s expertise sits at the intersection of protection and peace and security. She has contributed to initiatives that promote accountability, survivor-centred approaches, and institutional reform as foundational elements for sustainable peace. Her professional practice integrates safeguarding, protection from sexual exploitation and abuse and Harassment (PSEAH), child protection, and gender-responsive programming within broader peacebuilding and security agendas. She brings a strong commitment to ethical leadership, risk mitigation, and building safe, accountable organizations in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Sofiia Shevchuk is a founder of an educational and consultancy platform VONA, dedicated to the topics of climate, gender and security; she also serves as an independent researcher, trainer, facilitator and a podcast host (e.g. #VONATalks, WIIS Brussels Voices, etc.). Through building connections, in-depth research, and facilitation of discussions Shevchuk aims to contribute to a more equal, climate-just, and peaceful world. Prior to becoming an independent consultant Shevchuk worked as a researcher with the European Parliament, NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the German Marshall Fund. She also studied at the College of Europe, Bruges; and University of Ghent.

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Arij Soussi is a medical doctor and civil society activist from Tunisia. She focuses on conflict resolution and advocating for the rights of minorities and women. She shaped her peacebuilding and advocacy skills through a range of training programs like Young Mediterranean Voices, where she not only developed her debate skills but also served as a debate trainer for two years. In 2020, she got selected to participate in the MEPI student leaders program at Georgetown University, an opportunity that allowed her to organise the Living Library, an event that enables minorities and women to bravely voice their experiences and speak up against discrimination. She also participated in the Generation Change Exchange Program with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2022 and the Strategic Project Design and Implementation Program in 2023, organised by the United States Institute of Peace. Her concern for climate change grew bigger when she noticed that it was fueling political conflict and widening the gap to achieving gender equality in Tunisia and the MENA region. Through her engagement with Opinion Makers, a program organised by the Munathara Initiative, she took part in live TV debates and radio talks where she debated topics related to climate justice and women’s rights in Tunisia. She is also working with Dare organisation on “Golden Words,” a project that aims to empower Tunisian women and girls and creates a safe space for them to share their thoughts, concerns, and recommendations regarding the challenges that they encounter, particularly amidst the climate crisis.

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Ola Badran is a humanitarian and development professional specializing in gender equality, protection, disability inclusion, and conflict‑sensitive programming. She has built a diverse portfolio across different contexts, working with the UN, international partners, and the private sector to strengthen inclusive, safe, and equitable programming in complex and high‑risk environments.

In her current role as Programme Policy Officer with the UN in Syria, Ola leads efforts to mainstream protection and inclusion across operations and programme design. Her work spans technical advisory, the development of tools and guidance, strengthening SADD and monitoring frameworks, and managing GBV-related cases through community feedback mechanisms.

In Pakistan, she led the gender and inclusion portfolio of a Green Climate Fund project, conducting in‑depth field research and authoring key products including a Gender Analysis, a Guidance Note on Gender‑Responsive and Inclusive DRR, and an SBCC Strategy for last‑mile early warning access. She has collaborated closely with different stakeholders to embed gender and protection priorities within DRR, social protection, food systems, and anticipatory action. Previously she worked extensively on conflict sensitivity, risk analysis, and adaptive programming. Ola brings a strong commitment to equity, dignity, and meaningful participation in all aspects of her work.

Ola holds a Master’s degree in International Cooperation, Finance, and Development from Unitelma Sapienza, Italy, where her thesis focused on humanitarian policy advocacy in sanctioned environments. She also earned an MBA from the Higher Institute of Business Administration in Damascus and a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Industries from Damascus University.

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Tasneem SiedAhmed, a dedicated individual with a multifaceted career, has ventured across diverse roles encompassing research, advocacy, and humanitarian efforts aimed at addressing critical issues within Sudan. Currently she works in a research project aimed to study the Environmental Impacts of Sudan War while simultaneously serving as a Loss and Damage Negotiator in Sudan, broadening her understanding of international climate diplomacy. Her last role in Sudan before the conflict was as a Project Researcher at the Darfur Land Project for SALAAMEDIA Peace and Development NGO. Here, Tasneem spearheaded stakeholder mapping, conducted thorough desk reviews on land issues in Darfur, and designed advocacy campaigns targeting housing and land-related concerns in the region with focusing on its gender aspects. Her diverse journey encompassed pivotal roles with esteemed organisations like MSF, where she helped manage complex emergency response projects, monitored humanitarian contexts, reported on key developments, and actively engaged in human rights monitoring efforts. Additionally, Tasneem’s involvement in various grassroots initiatives, COVID-19 response programs, and community-driven campaigns underscores her steadfast commitment to social welfare, human rights advocacy, and community . 

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Ayessa Tin is a Women, Peace and Security (WPS) practitioner based in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Philippines. She currently serves as Programme Analyst for WPS and Humanitarian Action at UN Women Philippines, where she supports both normative and programmatic work to advance the WPS agenda. Her work contributes to strengthening policy frameworks, institutional mechanisms, and accountability processes that promote the leadership, participation, and protection of Bangsamoro women and girls in peacebuilding, governance, and post-conflict recovery. She provides technical support on gender-responsive policy development, mediation initiatives, and civil society engagement.

Ayessa has over 15 years of experience across government and international development. She worked for six years within the Philippine local legislative system, contributing to policy development, stakeholder consultations, and the drafting of local ordinances. She also supported the implementation of the BARMM Normalization Program, part of the broader Bangsamoro peace process, through her work with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity.

Ayessa is a Salzburg Global Fellow, a Beyond Borders Scotland Fellow, and an alumna of the Australia Awards In-Country Scholarship Program. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration major in Public Policy and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. In 2026, she will begin a Master’s program in Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution at the University of Bradford in England as a Rotary Peace Fellow.

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Emily Quispe is a forestry engineering professional with experience in project management, monitoring and evaluation, and capacity building for climate change adaptation. She currently works as a Technical and Financial Officer at Peru’s National Environmental Fund, Profonanpe, where she supervises the implementation of subgrants focused on resilient livelihoods and sustainable ecosystem management, bridging international funding requirements with the capacities of local organizations.

Throughout her career, she has monitored projects, provided technical assistance to various organizations, and contributed to strengthening environmental governance by promoting coordination among local actors, organizations, and public institutions. Her experience integrates technical, financial, and social approaches, with an emphasis on implementing initiatives aligned with national climate policies.

She has complemented her professional profile with active participation in volunteer work and youth networks. She has served as a facilitator in climate governance and gender programs, and as a volunteer in conservation and environmental monitoring initiatives in the Amazon and the Andes. She has also participated in international spaces such as COP25, strengthening her commitment to global climate action.

Committed to sustainable development, she focuses her work on promoting local solutions that enhance community resilience to climate change.

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Urooj belongs to Gilgit-Baltistan, often described as a region at the crossroads of South Asia and Central Asia since it is located between the borders of India, Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan. Spanning across almost 73,000 square km in the extreme north of Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan is home to the Hindukush, the Himalayas, and the Karakoram mountain ranges, and is one of the most vulnerable regions on the planet, both in terms of the effects of climate change and its political status. Urooj is currently working in the climate space as an environmental, social and governance (ESG) consultant for a hospitality and property management company. She has a MSc in Social and Cultural Anthropology from University College London, where she wrote her dissertation titled “People Changing Climate Changing People: Perceptions of Climate Change, its Impacts, and Indigenous Responses in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan”. She also holds an MA in Islamic Studies and Humanities from the Institute of Ismaili Studies London. She is interested in climate advocacy, climate policy and climate justice in relation to indigenous and mountain communities and displacements. She has experience in social research and evaluation, specialising in climate change and climate action research, demonstrating a commitment to addressing environmental and social challenges through community service. 

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Yakaka Mandara holds a wealth of experience in conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and community empowerment. As the Project Manager for the Reconciliation and Reintegration Unit at UNDP, she has played a pivotal role in leading and overseeing a multifaceted portfolio dedicated to promoting peacebuilding, reconciliation, and the reintegration of communities affected by conflict and displacement. Her dedication to promoting peace, fostering social harmony, gender equality and empowering vulnerable populations has been a consistent thread throughout her career. With a proven track record in reconciliation, reintegration, protection, and gender equality, Mandara actively contributed to positive change in conflict-affected regions. She recognizes the nuances and sensitivities involved in reintegration processes, honing her ability to navigate cultural differences and historical traumas to build bridges and foster trust between conflicted parties. She led a team in implementing various activities which includes but not limited to livelihood support, social cohesion activities, mental health and psychosocial support. Understanding the significance of community-based initiatives, Mandara actively engaged with local communities and key stakeholders, fostering ownership and sustainability. As a team leader, she prioritised mentorship and capacity building, empowering multidisciplinary teams to reach their full potential. She encouraged Government partners and implemented a gender lens when conducting needs assessment and providing support in local communities. Mandara’s previous roles include Acting Head of the Unit for the Reintegration and Social Cohesion Unit (UNDP), Restoring Family Links Assistant (ICRC), and Community Engagement Analyst (UNDP). 

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Prativa Khanal is a human rights lawyer possessing a master’s degree in law and certification as a Peace and Conflict Consultant from the Academy for Conflict Transformation/Forum Civil Peace Service in Germany. She has amassed extensive experience collaborating with civil society organisations, donors, government entities, UN agencies, and victims of human rights violations across international, regional, national, and grassroots levels. Khanal’s work has spanned diverse conflict, fragile, and humanitarian settings in the Asia-Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, and the South Caucasus region. At present, Khanal is working at the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law in Germany under the Somalia project to advance gender equality in the constitutional review and law-making process. Her previous roles include collaborations with esteemed international organisations dedicated to women’s rights and women, peace, and security, such as the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) in New York. Khanal has also served as an International Consultant – Women, Peace, and Security for UN Women in Bangladesh and Somalia. This diverse background has provided Khanal with a deep understanding and practical experience in addressing women, peace, and security issues, including climate change, in countries like Bangladesh, Georgia, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, and Somalia.

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Noor Esam Al-Khateeb is a humanitarian and women’s rights advocate with over nine years of experience working with international organizations, including the International Rescue Committee, Norwegian Refugee Council, and Danish Refugee Council in Iraq. She currently serves as Senior Manager for Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE), where she leads partnerships, ensures program quality, and supports local organizations in delivering survivor-centered services for women and girls.
Throughout her career, Noor has worked closely with internally displaced persons, refugees, returnees, and vulnerable host communities. She specializes in gender-based violence prevention and response, Women, Peace and Security (WPS), and gender integration in humanitarian programming. Her work combines technical expertise with strategic leadership, including grant management, donor reporting, capacity building, and multi-stakeholder coordination. She is a certified trainer in case management, psychosocial support, Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA), and clinical care for survivors of violence.
Noor is an alumna of the 2024 Women in Conflict 1325 Fellowship (UK), the 2023 Swedish Institute Leader Lab, and the 2022 Cross Culture Programme in Germany, experiences that strengthened her leadership, advocacy, and global engagement.
Noor is passionate about advancing gender equality, strengthening local partnerships, and promoting institutional change that creates safer, more inclusive environments for women and girls.

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Hind Abdulrahman has over nine years of professional experience with international and national organizations in Iraq, specializing in post-conflict recovery, internal displacement, reintegration, and prevention of violent extremism programming. She currently serves as a National Partnership Officer with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), where she leads localization and partnership strengthening initiatives, including civil society capacity development, compliance oversight, and institutional framework alignment.

Hind has extensive experience managing partnerships in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, integrating conflict sensitivity into programming, and supporting civil society actors working with vulnerable and marginalized populations. Her expertise spans programme coordination, grant and financial management, multi-stakeholder engagement, and adapting interventions to complex operational environments.

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Nona Mamulashvili is a geopolitical analyst and former Member of Parliament from Georgia specializing in institutional resilience, security architecture, and the governance implications of emerging technologies.

Her professional background spans government, diplomacy, and multinational leadership roles across the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe. As a Member of Parliament, she served on the Foreign Affairs Committee and worked on regional security, democratic governance, and international policy alignment.

Nona’s research and writing focus on how small democracies adapt to geopolitical pressure, technological disruption, and structural vulnerability. Her work has been published by the Harvard Kennedy School’s Carr Center, Emerging Europe, the Middle East Institute, and The Washington Post.

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Justine Maravu is currently Transcend Oceania’s Acting Project Manager/Operations primarily responsible for the Bread for the World funded regional project on Engaging Men and Boys for the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls. Her role expands to other projects on climate change and conflict, Trauma Awareness and Healing due to her expertise and skills in Peacebuilding. Have worked in the NGO sector for more than a decade. She has a deep interest in Community Peacebuilding and Development which led her to complete a Graduate Certificate in Peacebuilding and Leadership from Eastern Mennonite University, Virginia USA. Currently she is also a Programme Associate for the Pacific Women Mediators Network.

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Growing up in Addis Ababa, Mekides Berhanu Alemu witnessed the transformative power of peacemaking firsthand through her grandfather, a community-respected mediator. His unwavering dedication to resolving conflict, from marital woes to social clashes, instilled in Alemu a deep aversion to discord and a burning desire for peace. This passion led her on an unconventional path. While five years in biomedical engineering weren’t her ultimate calling, the skills and knowledge she gained became a robust foundation for her true passion: contributing to peacebuilding. Fueled by an MBA that equipped her to tackle complex issues like mass migration and conflict, Alemu found her calling at a local civil society organisation, an organisation dedicated to human rights and good governance. There, she honed her skills and delved deeper into practical peacebuilding, spearheading in peace projects and demonstrating her exceptional talent for conflict resolution. This invaluable experience ultimately led to her prestigious appointment as a Young Women Mediation Ambassador for the Horn of Africa at IPHRD-Africa, where she now plays a crucial role in empowering young women and fostering lasting peace in a region. Today, Alemu channels her unwavering dedication through a local civil society organisation, fostering meaningful youth and women’s participation in peacebuilding. A vocal advocate for their inclusion in peace processes, she serves as a beacon of hope, a testament to the transformative power of unwavering dedication and the potential of peacemaking to shape a brighter future. 

Participant in: March 2024 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Minagano Kape is a South Sudanese peace builder, activist, and published poet with about a decade of experience in the fields of peace building, peace implementation monitoring, Women Peace and Security, program management, and support to dialogue processes. She has worked with civil society organisations, served in peace agreement implementation Boards andInternational Organizations. Kape currently works as a Peace and Political Affairs Officer at the Swiss Cooperation Office, in South Sudan. 

Participant in: January 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Reham Mourshed is a journalist, and communication specialist with over 7 years of experience in media, communication, graphic design. Her expertise is primarily built upon designing communication and media strategies and plans, managing social media platforms, managing websites, creating content (media reports, stories, and articles), graphic designing, taking and editing photos and videos, on the other hand, she has many published articles and a big interest in gender equality. 

Participant in: January 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Trish Mutakura is a Project Manager at Green Governance Africa, where she works on initiatives that address climate change and promote sustainable development. She has extensive experience working with young people, particularly young women who are disproportionately affected by climate change.
Through her work, Trish focuses on building the capacity of communities and youth to respond to climate-related challenges. She has supported young women and youth groups in developing Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) plans and establishing climate-resilient economic activities that strengthen livelihoods while promoting environmental sustainability.
Trish is passionate about empowering youth to become active agents of change in climate action. Her work centres on community resilience, youth participation, and inclusive approaches that ensure vulnerable groups are equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Participant in: January 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Ms. Soneni Gwizi is a Zimbabwean Physical Disabled Woman Advocate, IVLP Alumni, ADD Ambassador for Asia & Africa, a Disability + Women advocate, Speaker, Influencer, Feminist, Disability Mentor, holds multiple Media Awards on – various Disability Advocacy, Broadcasting & Human Rights Defender Champion & a Rotarian. She is passionately known as Flawsome. Ms. Gwizi was the first Woman with a Physical Disability to be TV Presenter for a Zimbabwe’s National TV Station – ZbcTV & Radio Presenter. Her belief is – Women with disabilities do normal things just like You!  Her speaking experiences include the Zimbabwe International Trade, Disability Summit Zim 2018, the Hope & Salvation Ability Conference, Zimbabwe Women in Health, and the World Bank Amplifying the Voice & Spotlighting of Women &  Girls with Disabilities in COVID-19 Response. In 2019, Gwizi was nominated for the Her Abilities Global Award, an international award dedicated to women with disabilities from across the continent who have exceptionally excelled in their line of work regardless of any human made barriers they face within. 

Participant in: January 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Reham Al-Aghbari is a proud DAAD scholar with a master’s degree in Public Health. Currently, Reham is an External Projects Program Coordinator at Saint Andrew’s Refugee Services (StARS), Egypt. She works in developing the institutional capacity of refugee-led organisations in Egypt to derive quality services to the refugee community. Prior to working at StARS, Al-Aghbari worked as a program coordinator at Generations for Peace in Jordan. Al-Aghbari was inspired to know the relationship between health and conflict. She learned how to identify conflict in a community and how the quality of relationships (building acceptance, inclusion, and respect) plays a significant role in conflict transformation. Reham had the experience of implementing peace-building activities and vehicles (Sport for Peace, Art for Peace, and Advocacy for Peace). In her free time, Al-Aghbari can be found playing football, hiking, and crafting. 

Participant in: January 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Thuria Ibrahim holds a Master’s degree in Human Rights and Development from the University of Jordan. Her academic background, combined with over twelve years of professional experience, has equipped her with a deep and nuanced understanding of development challenges and opportunities across the region. Throughout her career, she has worked across civic engagement, peacebuilding, sexual and reproductive health, economic empowerment, and youth leadership, contributing to initiatives that strengthen community resilience and promote equitable access to opportunities.

She currently serves as Project Manager for Youth Employment at INJAZ, where she leads national programs aimed at enhancing young people’s readiness for the labor market. In this role, Thuria designs and manages employment pathways, builds strategic partnerships, and fosters collaboration across public, private, and civil society sectors. Her work focuses on developing innovative, practical, and inclusive solutions that support young people in successfully transitioning into the workforce.

Beyond her national work, Thuria is an active member of the International AIDS Society and serves on the Grant Review Committee of the Black Feminist Fund, where she contributes to global efforts advancing public health, gender justice, and community-led development. Her professional journey reflects a strong commitment to collaboration, evidence-based practice, and rights-based approaches, with a particular focus on advancing justice, equity, and sustainable development across diverse communities.

Participant in: January 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Ndachem Abubakar is a distinguished Conflict, Peace, and Security Specialist with over 12 years of experience in stabilization, reintegration, peacebuilding, and recovery across Sub-Saharan Africa. Currently serving as a Programme Specialist with UNDP Ethiopia, she provides strategic policy advisory to the National Rehabilitation Commission (NRC) on the DDR process following the Pretoria Peace Agreement. Her work is pivotal in navigating the transition from conflict to stability in the Tigray, Afar, Amhara, and Oromia regions.
Ndachem excels at integrating gender-responsive frameworks into high-stakes implementation. Her career is defined by her critical community engagement, reconciliation and reintegration efforts in Northeast Nigeria, between 2021 and 2024, where she coordinated the reintegration of former Boko Haram associates, leveraging Transitional Justice and alternative dispute resolution to mend the social fabric of conflict-affected communities. Her leadership was instrumental in implementing EU, PBF, RSF-RR, ECHO funded projects, such as the S2R, SD3R initiatives, & the Borno Model in Northeast Nigeria which focused on reducing stigmatization, reintegration of women affected by Boko haram conflict in Nigeria, promoting community healing, and strengthening the bond between citizens and the state.
Ndachem’s global profile is supported by specialized training from premier international institutions:
Certified in Security Sector Governance (DCAF Geneva) & the United Nations Training School in Dublin, Ireland, WPS 1325 (Scotland, UK), Alumna of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (Ghana) DDR, Specialized Reintegration Spain, and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (Switzerland). She holds an M.A. in Transitional Justice (In-View), a M.A. Conflict, Peace & Security and a degree in Public Administration from the University of Maiduguri.
Ndachem excels at the intersection of Climate Security and Environmental Peacebuilding. Recognizing that resource scarcity often fuels instability, she integrates environmental resilience into her peacebuilding frameworks. As a woman leader in a traditionally male-dominated field, she is a fierce advocate for the UNSCR 1325 mandate, ensuring that women are not merely seen as victims of conflict but as central architects of the peace process.

Participant in: January 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Shrishti Rana is a scholar in International Relations and peace studies. She has written a book titled Nepal Votes for Peace, jointly with Nepal’s Chief Election Commissioner, published by the Cambridge University Press in 2013. The book focuses on the peacebuilding process in Nepal focusing on how its post-election process institutionalised socially inclusive democracy in Nepal. Rana has written for several international publications based in Australia, Canada, Denmark India, and the UK. She also has nearly fifteen years of experience in leadership positions in several international organisations. 

Participant in: January 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

María Elisa is a social entrepreneur, facilitator, and artist with 17 years of experience working at the intersection of peacebuilding, creativity, and trauma-informed practice. She has designed and facilitated participatory processes that foster healing, dialogue, memory, and reconciliation across diverse contexts, including conflict-affected communities, ex-combatants, veterans, and other social groups.

She served for over eight years as Executive Director of Fundación Prolongar and later as Operations Lead of the international collective Reimagine Peace, where she continues to contribute as an active facilitator within a global community of practitioners.

She has led more than 20 arts-based initiatives—including national memory reports, documentaries, podcasts, traveling museums, and community murals—reaching over 15,000 people. Her work emphasizes creative, embodied, and collective methodologies to address trauma, strengthen relationships, and imagine alternative futures. In parallel, she has facilitated healing, dialogue, and capacity-building spaces with more than 2,000 participants.

Maria Elisa holds a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies as a scholar of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). She has experience in teaching and research and has authored more than ten publications related to peacebuilding, memory, and social transformation.

She is also a singer and composer, and a mother through adoption—dimensions of her life that deeply inform her approach to care, creativity, leadership, and collective work.

Participant in: August 2023 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Anushree Rai has 5+ years of experience working in the domain of policy formulation and analysis for multi sectoral development strategies, with a focus on education and gender equality policies. While working in the policy sphere, she also successfully engaged in government liaison, stakeholder management, project coordination, and research. Along with an elaborate experience as an Education Policy Analyst, Gender Researcher and Political Analyst, Rai has successfully conducted Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) for international agencies. Her experience as a policy analyst and strategist was executed from the perspective of the government, academia and private organisations. 

Participant in: January 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

From driving innovation and youth leadership to empowering communities and promoting anti-corruption initiatives, Zainab Almshref is a project management officer with the United Nations development Programme of Iraq for 4 Years with a passion for creating positive change in Iraq and Beyond. She holds a bachelor’s in Automated Engineering and she is currently an MBA candidate.

Participant in: January 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Shno Qane Qadar Salihi is a 36-year-old individual hailing from Kirkuk Governorate, Iraq. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law from Kirkuk University and is proficient in Arabic, Kurdish and English Since 2015 Salihi has been actively contributing to society through various roles within Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). Her journey began with Handicap International, where she served as a Psychosocial Support Worker and later as a Physical Rehabilitation Project Officer, aiding individuals with disabilities in achieving their goals. Subsequently, Salihi joined Women for Women International (WFWI) as a GBV and Advocacy Trainer, focusing on empowering women economically and socially. Currently, Salihi is the Project Manager for Peace and Freedom Organization (PFO) under the JISRA project, aiming to promote religious freedom and belief, integral to human rights. Engaging in numerous human rights and gender equality conferences, she holds certificates in peace-building and human rights. Notably, she contributed to internal policies on gender equality for PFO and co-authored research shedding light on the challenges faced by women in Iraq, emphasising the need for equality, especially in the face of violence and limited rights. In essence, Salihi is dedicated to advancing human rights, gender equality, and social justice. 

Participant in: January 2024 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Badrunissa Bhat is a research scholar and Sufi artist affiliated with the Department of English and the Sheikh-ul-Alam Centre for Multidisciplinary Studies at the University of Kashmir. Her work spans mysticism, literary studies, and visual aesthetics, with a particular emphasis on the metaphysics of love and the spiritual traditions that shape Kashmir’s cultural consciousness. Grounded in the region’s rich literary and artistic heritage, she has cultivated a sustained engagement with poetry, embodiment, and contemplative experience.

Her doctoral research examines the transformative potential of Sufi literature, positioning metaphysical thought as a framework for ethical inquiry, spiritual reflection, and modes of conflict transformation. As a co-translator of Sacred Knots, a multilingual volume of Shaikh-ul-Aalam’s shruks, she has contributed to the preservation and global transmission of Kashmiri mystical heritage. She has presented her work at national academic conferences and has authored several research papers and short stories, some of which have been published.

As a visual artist, she extends her scholarly concerns into a contemplative aesthetic through paintings marked by luminosity, symbolic intricacy, and meditative sensibilities. Her artwork—exhibited in notable galleries—has been recognized for fostering introspection and cross-cultural dialogue. She also leads art-and-spirituality workshops in conflict-affected communities in Kashmir, using creative expression as a method of dialogue, healing, and peace-building.

Participant in: August 2023 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Anjali Krishnadas is a Mohiniyattam practitioner, cultural researcher, and co-founder of Thudippu Dance Foundation based in Kochi, Kerala. Her work lies at the intersection of performance, pedagogy, and social inclusion, with a mission to build an accessible and inclusive space for the arts. Since 2019, Thudippu has emerged as a hub for education, performance, and community engagement, impacting over 200 students and reaching diverse communities through its cultural initiatives.

Anjali holds a diverse academic background, beginning with a Bachelor’s in Commerce from Mahatma Gandhi University (2011–2014), followed by a Bachelor’s in Performing Arts specializing in Mohiniyattam from Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya, Mumbai University (2015–2020). She furthered her artistic specialization with a Post Diploma in Kathak from the Nalanda Dance Research Centre (2021–2022) and recently completed a Master’s in Folklore and Cultural Studies from IGNOU University (2024–2025).

Participant in: August 2023 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Mrinalini Majumdar is a practicing lawyer at the Calcutta High Court, the oldest High Court in India. She specialises in criminal and constitutional law, with focus on Human Rights. She has also been an empanelled counsel for the Union of India. An alumnus of Symbiosis Law School, she provides pro-bono legal advice to the Human Rights Law Network, a non-profit organisation founded to protect the fundamental human rights and civil liberties of India’s most marginalised and vulnerable communities. She has also developed ‘The Legal Awareness Program’, a weekly live telecast on DD Bangla, India’s state-owned bengali language television channel. An active participant of the #MeToo global movement, she works in litigation involving sex crimes & gender violence. She is involved in child counselling and trial preparation for child sexual abuse cases. She has also submitted the ‘Safe School Policy: Guidelines for Protection of Children from Sexual Abuse in Schools” for mandatory implementation across all schools in West Bengal, India under the Protection of Children Sexual Offences Act 2012 on being appointed as Amicus Curie. She has represented India in the prestigious International Visitors Leadership Program, USA working on Investigating and Prosecuting Human Rights Violations. 

Her bar robe aside, Mrinalini is a trained Bharatnatyam dancer, specialising in Navanritya having performed nationally and internationally. She has a keen interest in literature, culture & politics. She is passionate about issues related to women empowerment and community building, all while striking a balance between the worlds of the Law and the Arts. 

Participant in: August 2023 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Arundhati Samudra is a practitioner whose work arises from the intersection of personal evolution, creative expression, and collective transformation. Her practice is rooted in the belief that the answers to justice, well‑being, and social equity emerge from within us, and that embodying those answers in community opens the way to healing, agency, and meaningful change.
Through her lived journey — from frontline social justice work to inner alchemy and creative embodiment — she has developed an approach that integrates theatre, somatic healing, trauma‑informed therapy, and feminine wisdom traditions into spaces that hold both deep personal inquiry and bold collective engagement. She is the Founder of Kalaa Dhari: The Art of the Inner Revolution, a platform for facilitating transformation through creative agency, presence, and compassion.

Participant in: August 2023 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Zahra Al Hilaly (she/her) is an Australian lawyer, journalist, and policy practitioner with eight years of experience working at the intersection of human rights, climate justice, and gender equality. With a strong commitment to amplifying the voices of marginalised communities, Zahra works across grassroots movements and global policy spaces to influence systems-level change.

Zahra has held leadership roles across prominent intergovernmental and advocacy organisations, including serving as CEO of Oaktree, where she led international development programs supporting young people across the Asia-Pacific. Zahra has also worked as an international consultant for UN Women and Restless Development, contributed to the Youth Negotiators Academy’s global climate training programs, and is currently a member of UN Women’s Leaders Network. She has led advocacy campaigns focused on equity, gender, and child rights, and regularly advises international organisations on climate diplomacy and multilateral processes, including the UNFCCC and the Commission on the Status of Women.

As a Palestinian and Iraqi woman, Zahra believes storytelling is a key to connecting people from all lived experiences and backgrounds. Her leadership has been recognized with honors, including the 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30, Western Australia Young Person of the Year, and the Australian Women in Excellence recipient, among many others. Zahra holds a Bachelor of Law, a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism), and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice.

Participant in: August 2023 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Sonal Dhanani is a Pakistani peacebuilder, feminist leader, and global human rights advocate working at the intersection of Women, Peace and Security (WPS), digital safety, mental health, and climate justice. An alumna of the Beyond Borders Scotland Women in Conflict 1325 Fellowship, she advances UNSCR 1325 principles by strengthening women’s leadership in fragile and conflict-affected contexts across South Asia.

Sonal is the Founder of Parindey Wellbeing and Development Foundation, a social impact organization that integrates trauma-informed peacebuilding, youth civic engagement, and gender-transformative programming. Through regional fellowships, cross-border artistic collaborations, and community-based dialogue platforms, she has supported emerging women leaders to counter violent extremism, challenge digital hate, and build locally rooted peace initiatives.

In 2025, Sonal received the Geneva Human Rights Recognition Award (Individual Award for Defending Freedom of Expression Online), honouring her advocacy against digital violence and her work protecting women’s voices in online civic spaces. Her global engagements include the Rotary Peace Fellowship, Harvard’s Public Narrative Executive Leadership program, and partnerships across Europe and Asia focused on equitable futures and community-led resilience.

Grounded in personal loss due to terrorism, Sonal brings both policy expertise and lived experience to her leadership. She champions feminist, healing-centred approaches that connect grassroots realities with global advocacy spaces strengthening a transnational network of women shaping sustainable peace.

Participant in: August 2023 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Shoushan Keshishian is the Founding CEO of Hub Artsakh NGO that supports refugees in Armenia. Originally hailing from Beirut, Lebanon, Shoushan lived and studied in the U.S., France, and the U.K before relocating to Armenia in 2020. She has an M.A. in Post-war Recovery Studies from the University of York.

As the organization’s CEO, she played a pivotal role in developing and implementing comprehensive programs tailored to the grassroots needs of the refugee community. Now based in Yerevan, Shoushan continues to run Hub Artsakh driven by a vision of fostering positive change and making a lasting impact on the lives of those affected by conflict.

Shoushan is also interested in circular economy, cultural heritage preservation, and community-building.

Participant in: August 2023 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Best known as a development professional and arts manager, Hasini Haputhanthri collaborates with a global network of researchers and practitioners on peacebuilding, education, arts and heritage management.  Her current focus is on reinventing museums as sites of inclusion, innovative pedagogy and civic engagement. Her publications include Archive of Memory: Reflections of 70 years of Independence, Cultural Fluency: A Transformative Agenda for Caring Communities, Museums, Memory and Identity Politics in Sri Lanka, and Shared Sanctity: Art and Architecture of Religious Confluence.

Initially trained as a sociologist at Delhi University India and Lund University Sweden, Hasini later specialised in Oral History and Museum Anthropology at Columbia University New York. She has worked with several international and local organisations on peacebuilding in Sri Lanka for the past 15 years, most notably with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) where she led the culture and conflict programme for 10 years. She has worked on cultural and educational policy issues as well as working with over 100 artists and art organisations in Sri Lanka. Her recent cross border collaboration ‘World Art and Memory Museum’ brings together curators and cultural activists from 7 different countries. She speaks regularly on social inclusion, culture and heritage management issues on a variety of international platforms.

Participant in: August 2023 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Kamala Vasuki (Jeyasankar), born in 1966, in the North and living in the East of Sri Lanka, both the districts affected by the 3 decades of internal armed conflicts. Her own art practices started as a reflection of a young woman living in war. Her acquaintance with the theatre groups and women’s rights movements rooted her works conceptually on feminisms and expand her expressions through different mediums including theatre and songs. Her individual artworks comprise of paintings on the power of women and nature, cartoons to question the dual stands and the creation of divides and hatred based on gender, religion, ethnicity, caste and class and installations on common experiences of conflicts that connects women beyond their identities. Also she initiated collective art practices with women to raise collective voices and to express their experiences and memories. She believes in holding community art exhibitions and encourage the people to view and engage in discussions. She has been an integral part of women’s activist spaces for peace, non-violence and justice. She has mentored almost two generations of visual artists and others who are interested in all forms of artistic and literary work for social change and peace. She founded and sustaining many groups along with her friends including ‘Artists for non-violent living’, ‘Third eye’, a group of activists engaged in preserving local knowledge and skill ‘Padinikal’ an all women cultural group that was affiliated to the Suriya women’s Development Centre and Samathai the only all women parai drumming group in the island – the drum that is traditionally relegated to be played only by oppressed caste men and Samathai reclaims the traditional percussion art from a caste and gender perspective. She holds Master’s degree in Human Rights and Democratization from University of Sydney.

Participant in: August 2023 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Ola Al Mamlouk is a Syrian artist, facilitator, and community advocate with extensive experience using drama and Theatre of the Oppressed to promote peacebuilding, resilience, and social cohesion in conflict-affected communities. Originally from Damascus, Syria, she has worked directly with children at risk, survivors of violence, and marginalized groups, facilitating participatory theatre and arts workshops to explore identity, address trauma, and foster dialogue in safe, inclusive spaces.

Ola has led national and international projects focusing on youth, LGBTQ+ communities, people with disabilities, and displaced persons. Her work blends creative expression, advocacy, and community engagement, empowering participants to share their stories, build agency, and develop constructive solutions to social challenges. She has also designed and coordinated programmes, managing logistics, safeguarding, and partnerships to ensure accessible and impactful experiences.

Her practice emphasizes empathy, cultural sensitivity, and collaboration, bridging the personal and political through creative methods. In Ireland, Ola has continued her work with marginalized and displaced communities, supporting integration and social inclusion through drama, arts, and dialogue. Committed to human rights and social justice, she uses the arts as a tool for healing, empowerment, and sustainable peace, demonstrating how creativity can transform lives in contexts affected by conflict and violence.

Participant in: August 2023 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Lucy Nychai (Liudmyla Nychai) is a Ukrainian art practitioner, researcher, and curator of art mobility programmes. She is the co-founder and project coordinator of the NGO “Congress of Cultural Activists.” Since 2017, she has been curating international programmes for NVAIR, an international residency for emerging artists. She serves as the National Facilitator for the Active Citizens programme with the British Council in Ukraine and is an associate artist at D6: Culture in Transit in Newcastle, UK, from 2023 to 2026.
From 2019 to 2021, she worked as a facilitator and researcher in the so-called ‘grey zone’ on the project “Support for the Development of Marketing Strategies and City Branding for 20 Target Communities in the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions,” commissioned by the UN Peacebuilding and Reconstruction Programme in Ukraine.
In 2022-2024, she curated an art residency programme and exhibitions for (Re)Grounding, a partnership between the Kyiv-based organisation IZOLYATSIA, D6: Culture in Transit, and D6:EU. This project began as part of the UK/Ukraine Season of Culture, jointly devised by the British Council and the Ukrainian Institute, focusing on climate and social justice in post-industrial areas and communities in Ukraine, the North-East of England, and Cyprus.
Previously, she spent 12 years as an art lecturer, holding a Master’s degree in Fine Arts and Art Education. She was also the co-founder and curator of the private gallery “Art Space 365” in Kyiv.
For the last few years, due the war, she’s been living in the UK, and works between Ukraine, EU and UK with an international projects.

Participant in: August 2023 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Marta Trotsiuk is the founder of Gallery 101 and the president of Ukrainian Gallerists Association. She is also an art curator which focuses on Ukrainian contemporary art. Since the full-scale war started she was actively involved in cultural diplomacy and cultural resistance projects. Some of the main initiatives related to the topic of the arts as a tool for peacebuilding are:

• Creation and moderation of a “Culture Against Aggression” group of more than 1600 cultural representatives. Community which works on the strategy and fast reaction of cultural resistance.

• Curation “Lviv Meets” program for adaptation of IDPs in the first months of the full-scale war.

• Charity art auctions to collect funds to support Museum Crisis Center

• International cultural exchange programs with Taiwan, Croatia and Poland to communicate and collaborate on art level.

• An author and a host of podcast “Culture Against Aggression” which has an aim to document Ukraine culture in times of war for future research and analysis. Also to raise important questions and find the best solution for peacebuilding and Ukrainian integration into the world’s culture.

• Many interviews, public speaking and conferences on the topics of the role of art and culture in the war.”

Participant in: August 2023 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Thana Faroq is a Yemeni photographer, writer, and lecturer at the Royal Academy of Art in the Netherlands. She works with photography, texts, sound, and the physicality of the image itself as a way to respond to the changes that have been shaping and defining her life and sense of belonging both in Yemen and the Netherlands Thana’s positioning as a photographer is informed by her reflections on her subject matter, tuning in to other people’s lived experiences with which she continually grows familiar. She also increasingly seeks her own story in the frame. Her work mirrors her life and provides a visual echo of her voice as she gracefully negotiates themes of memory, migration, and intergenerational trauma. Thana has a unique approach to working with her subjects in that she regularly returns to them to continue sharing their journey. Many of these migrant, stateless individuals were with Thana during her transitional period. Amongst her honors, Thana was a recipient of the 2018 inaugural Open Society Foundation Fellowship and the 2019 Arab Documentary Fund supported by the Prince Claus Fund and Magnum Foundation. In 2020 She was selected by the British Journal of photography as “Ones to watch” Thana also the recipient winner of FotoWien photo book award 2022. Thana received her BA in Government and International Relations from Clark University, and MA Photography and Society at The Royal Academy of Art.

Participant in: August 2023 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Nuha Damag is the Head of Strategy and Project Management for Gender Equality at AWAM Foundation for Development and Culture, with a master’s degree in finance and a bachelor’s degree in International Business Management. She is a passionate advocate for human rights and has dedicated the past 12 years of her life advocating for peace, democracy and gender quality in the MENA region, specifically Yemen, and worked with various organizations to promote gender equality and political inclusion, prevent violence against women, and establish sustainable peace. Since 2010, she has volunteered and worked with AWAM and other civil society organizations, whether on a full-time or part-time basis, on causes concerning democracy, good governance, peacebuilding and human rights in general, especially causes concerning the strengthening and attainment of youth and women’s rights in areas of armed conflict in Yemen. Nuha was fortunate to be part of AWAMs team and engage in initiatives and projects with organizations such as UN Women, Oxfam, Friedrich Ebert and many others. Nuha is a firm believer that peace and gender equality are not mutually exclusive. Women’s issues have major ramifications in the political, economic and social spheres, causing a wide range of adversities. Accordingly, she is determined to use her influence to guarantee that women around the world are treated with dignity and given the opportunity to realize their fullest potential and have their efforts benefit their societies. 

Participant in: March 2023 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Through her scientific study, artistic work, and academic training in public policy, Nour Barakeh strives to understand society from different viewpoints and to communicate complex topics. Her M.A. in Public Administration from Central European University emphasized the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) and environmental policies to mitigate climate change. Developing migration policies and combating human trafficking are also in scope.

With experience ranging from dance and theater to social work and journalism, she aims to support the establishment of sustainable educational projects focused on empowering people through raising awareness, and to counsel governments, NGOs and corporations on policies with a specific focus on the Sustainable Developments Goals. As a Global Citizen, she believes in proactively pursuing the necessary goal of peace.

She previously studied at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in Damascus and graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy at Damascus University. As a sought-after speaker on the SDGs, refugee, and migration issues, she has spoken on numerous high-profile panels highlighting young, female voices such as at European Forum Alpbach alongside former UN SG Ban Ki-moon and former Austrian President Heinz Fischer as well as at a UN High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development among others.  Nour Barakeh is also an Agents of Change Youth Fellow at Wilson Center.

Participant in: March 2023 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Hala Alhaffar has completed a MSc degree in Global sustainable development at the University of Warwick. She had a joint scholarship (Chevening and Said Foundation) to study master’s degree in the UK (2021-2022). Additionally, she has over eight years of volunteering and social work experience in the environment and humanitarian fields. She established a social enterprise in 2019 (Green Treasure), which aims to increase environmental awareness through applying sorting and recycling waste projects in Syria and developing environmental workshops and training about climate change and recycling. 

Participant in: March 2023 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Samia Faisal is a young Energy Socioeconomic analyst and researcher in the development and human rights field from Sudan. Now, she is doing a master’s degree in Economics and policy of Energy and the Environment at University College London (UCL).  Samia obtained her B.Eng. in Nuclear Engineering in 2016; after graduation, she served at the Sudan Atomic Energy Commission (SAEC) for two years. Since 2017, Samia has been working as a Development Officer at the Sudanese Women in Science Organization (SWSO), where she is advocating the participation of Sudanese females by raising public awareness about women’s rights, building women’s leadership capacity, and strengthening women’s economic development. In 2020, she joined the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency as a part of the Arab Program for Sustainable Energy Youth, where she worked under the Arab League flagship in Cairo, Egypt to support its members in developing their energy transition strategies. Ms. Faisal is an alumnus of the Mandela Washington Fellowship 2021, where she studied Public Management at the University of California Davis (UC Davis). Samia also served as a communication governance consultant for the Sudanese transitional government in 2021, where she supported governors’ communication offices with their strategies and development.  

Participant in: March 2023 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Walaa Ahmed is the Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Sudan’s Transitional Government. She was selected at the age of 33 as the youngest female minister in the history of Sudan, the first woman to hold the position of the minister of youth and sports and the youngest minister in the transitional council of ministers. Former Chairperson of the East and Central African Regional Advisory Board for the Mandela Washington Fellowship for young African Leaders. Walaa served in Public Sector, she was the first female mechanical engineer in Sudan’s Sugar Company’s workshop since its establishment, she also worked at Sudanese Standards and Metrology Organization. In addition to that she worked at Private Sector as Process Integration Specialist at DAL Group, Sudan’s Largest Conglomerate, the Civil Society, and as a Lecturer at Sudan University for Science and Technology. Walaa founded and led several initiatives in Sudan and across the African content, she was part of the peaceful revolution that overthrown the 30 years of dictatorship in Sudan. Walaa was selected among the 100 most influential young Africans in 2020 by Africa Youth Award and among the 100 most influential African women by Avance Media. Walaa is a mechanical Engineer with a MSc and DIC in Advanced Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London.

Participant in: March 2023 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Shatha Alowda (Arabic – شذا العودة), was born and raised in Palestine, and currently works as Assistant Program Officer-Mercy Corps Global/ Middle East Programs’ Team, based in Washington, DC. She has 4+ years of working experience in managing and implementing developmental and humanitarian programs in Palestine. Shatha holds a graduate degree in Gender and Development Studies, and has worked on programs relevant to gender justice, documentation of human rights violations, psychosocial support for women and children, women socio-economic and political empowerment, and strengthening women-led cooperatives in Palestine. Shatha has also taken part in co-authoring and developing different publications; one of which is a research study that focused on assessing Palestinian women’s ownership of and access to land and productive resources. As part of her active engagement with the Palestinian civil society, she has taken a leading role in organizing and implementing advocacy campaigns calling for ending all forms of violence against women and girls. Shatha is passionate about addressing and transforming unjust social structures restricting women’s empowerment. In her free time, Shatha enjoys the outdoors by going on hiking trips, exploring the world of photography, and reading.

Participant in: March 2023 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Hanadi Abu Taqa is a Palestinian Humanitarian worker who has served for more than 19 years for UN agencies (UNDP, UNICEF, UNRWA) and INGOs (PUI, Save the children). Since 2018 she performs the role of Chief of Area Office for the North area of West Bank, being the first female staff appointed for this position in UNRWA history. Born in Nablus in northwest Bank she studied in Jordanian University with BA in School Counselling and mental health in 1994 and MSc in Political planning and development from Al-Najah University in Nablus in 2009.Hanadi has a long experience working with adolescents and women. She focuses on Gender perspective, making sure that gender needs are considered in emergency response plans and interventions during emergencies. Advocating for the women and children rights by highlighting issues related to their needs and making sure their voices are heard at a national and international level. Her current role involves coordinating and leading the assessments in any emergency situations in WB in the aftermath of military operations, to ensure identifications of needs for vulnerable and affected communities and work with relevant parties to respond and fill in the gaps.

Hanadi has strong interest in women empowerment and has managed women empowerment projects in the north to support the most vulnerable women and increase awareness around their rights and resources. Hanadi coordinates the running of UNRWA operations in the North of WB, an extremely tense area due to the frequent actions of the army and settlers, which endanger the refugee population. Hanadi has demonstrated a great ability to respond to humanitarian crisis, engaging the affected refugee communities and coordinating with humanitarian and civilian actors in the area. Hanadi has extensive experience in the humanitarian field of peace building, previous experience in GBV and child protection in humanitarian context. Hanadi has outstanding communication, coordination, and teamwork skills

Participant in: March 2023 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Fiz Hassan is a graduate student in Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (UIUC), with a background in structural engineering. She is passionate about urban community development in light of sustainable interventions and environmental justice implementation. Fiz has been a Fulbright Scholar’ 16, EDF Climate Corps Fellow’ 22, UIC SISE Fellow’ 21 and worked on climate action planning & energy simulation projects throughout different fronts. Presently she is leading the university Design Team for the US Department of Energy hosted Solar Decathlon competition as a Project Manager, overseeing a group of approximately 35 members.

Participant in: March 2023 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Durga Mohanakrishnan is a Rotary Peace Fellow pursuing her Master’s in Peace Studies at the International Christian University in Tokyo, and a German Chancellor Fellow. With nearly eight years of professional experience across peace and conflict, humanitarian action, disaster management, and the development sector, her work bridges research and field-based practice.

Her experience spans India, Germany, Sri Lanka, and Japan, where she has worked at the intersection of crisis response, governance strengthening, and human security. In India, she led multi-district disaster rehabilitation initiatives following major floods, coordinating large-scale recovery efforts in collaboration with district administrations, community institutions, and civil society actors. In Germany, she conducted comparative research on disaster governance and risk communication during the Western Germany floods, engaging with organizations such as Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe and the German Committee for Disaster Reduction (DKKV) to analyse institutional coordination and resilience systems. In Sri Lanka, she worked in post-conflict and economically fragile contexts, supporting inclusive and conflict-sensitive community engagement processes that reinforced social cohesion and institutional trust.

Her academic and professional focus includes international law, forced migration and refugee studies, humanitarian action, and human security. Across her work, she is particularly interested in how institutional capacity, crisis governance, and community resilience intersect to shape sustainable peace in fragile environments.

Participant in: March 2023 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Disha Sandeep Joshi is a development practitioner, policy researcher, and social sector professional working at the intersection of sustainability, governance, and community-led development. She is a Director at the Sankala Foundation, a New Delhi–based nonprofit focused on research, policy advocacy, and collaborative initiatives in areas such as water resource management, environmental conservation, public health, and inclusive development.

Over the past several years, her work has evolved from grassroots field research to designing and managing interdisciplinary policy and development initiatives. She has been involved in studies and projects addressing watershed management, climate resilience, rural livelihoods, and sustainable resource use, contributing to research that integrates field insights with policy analysis. Her work includes participation in studies related to the Uttarakhand Forest Resource Management Project supported by international cooperation frameworks.

Disha’s professional interests lie in bridging research with practical implementation. She has worked on projects and convenings that bring together government institutions, industry leaders, civil society organizations, and academic partners to address complex development challenges. Her work also involves curating policy dialogues, conferences, and publications that translate research into actionable strategies for sustainable development.

Through her engagement with multidisciplinary initiatives, she focuses on promoting evidence-based policy approaches and strengthening institutional collaboration to address issues such as climate resilience, water management, sustainable livelihoods, and inclusive growth.

Participant in: March 2023 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Fatema Jafari is a women’s rights advocate, public leader, and social development professional with over a decade of experience in governance, human rights, and community empowerment. She served for more than ten years as a councilwoman of the Herat Provincial Council in Afghanistan, where she was an active member of several committees focused on women’s rights, human rights, and social affairs. As an elected female representative, she monitored government performance and advocated for the protection of women and minority groups.

For three years, Fatema chaired the Family Support Committee, where she facilitated the establishment of an umbrella network of approximately 80 women’s organizations to strengthen coordination and collective advocacy.

Fatema has been awarded prestigious international fellowships, including the International Visitor Leadership Program (USA, 2012), the Reagan-Fascell Fellowship at the National Endowment for Democracy, and the Maurice R. Greenberg World Fellowship at Yale University (2016). She is the author of *Women’s Political Participation in Afghanistan*. In 2022, she completed a Master’s degree in Peace, Conflict and Development at the University of Bradford (UK) as a peace fellow.

Currently based in the Netherlands, Fatema works as a Program Support Officer at Doctors of the World in Amsterdam, continuing her commitment to human rights, inclusion, and social justice.

Participant in: March 2023 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Tamanna Hoq Riti is a human rights and development activist whose work focuses on human rights advocacy, research, skill and knowledge development, networking, and stakeholder mobilisation. She has been working for a national human rights and legal aid organisation in Bangladesh since 2012. She is the Gender Focal point of her organisation which has enabled her to contribute to developing a gender-sensitive work environment. Her work responsibilities are to respond immediately to instances of human rights violations through mobilisation of the media and other stakeholders and advocating with the relevant authorities to uphold their human rights obligations. Additionally, she disseminates knowledge and information on gender equality, women’s rights, and current national and international human rights norms through developing knowledge materials and undertaking capacity building initiatives.

Ms. Tamanna has authored and published books and articles on a variety of contemporary human rights, gender, and social justice issues, including the UN Human Rights Mechanism, Bangladesh’s National Human Rights Commission, the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council, and other contemporary issues. She graduated from the University of Dhaka with a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in International Relations. She also participated in the International Training Programme on Sustainable Development and Human Rights law, organised by the Department of Law, University of Antwerp, Belgium. Ms. Tamanna wants to contribute to the establishment of a just, inclusive, and equitable society where human rights, gender equality, equity, non-discrimination, secularism, the rule of law, social justice, and democracy are respected and protected.

Participant in: November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Noor Al-Naser is an Iraqi Programme Management Officer at the United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism – Parliamentary Engagement Programme in Doha, Qatar. Her role is to support the UNOCT programme in developing concept notes in support of national’s parliaments in the areas of counter-terrorism and the prevention of violent extremism. Prior to this, she was an Operations Analyst working with the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in Iraq to support the management of explosive hazards clearance projects focusing on coordinating national mine action authorities’ clearance priorities and coordinating with the Iraqi Security Forces and mine action implementing partners in post-ISIS liberated areas. Noor is a Chevening and Geneva Centre for Security Policy Alumni and an advocate for the Women’s Peace and Security 1325 agenda.

Noor has an MA in Terrorism, Intelligence and Security studies from the University of Salford UK, and a BSc. in Biomedical Engineering, from the University of Baghdad.

Participant in: November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Nivar Mohamad is a twenty-six-year-old woman who has recently emerged into the world of politics and diplomacy starting her career in the Presidency of the Kurdistan Region two years ago. She is a women’s rights activist and a believer of gender equality having to be implemented throughout the public organizations in the region. She works as the administrative assistant to the Chief of Staff to the president having multiple responsibilities such as official letter writings, minute taking in officials’ meetings, protocol work, research writings, holding seminars and workshops with other departments, also selected as the master of ceremony for most events in the presidency.

Born and raised in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, a region that has been through countless conflicts, Nivar was born into a family of generations of Peshmarga’s and politicians, in which they were refugees for two decades before she was brought into the world. Not only is Kurdistan a part of a country that is never at ease, but the region itself has been under threat by the many regimes and dictators that have ruled the country, trying to pragmatically destroy the culture, the nationalism, the languages and most importantly the will of the public of Kurdistan. This has been of interest to Nivar since her childhood where she would speak up in public events for all the atrocities committed against the Kurdish people at the time by the dictator Saddam Hussein.

Nivar has been an advocate for peace, conflict resolution, gender equality and women’s rights throughout her childhood and adulthood. Now she wants to take it a step further and implement these ideologies by mainstreaming a gender unit in the highest level of decision-making institution in the region, the Presidency, by leading more women in decision-making positions which would result in peace-building and preventing conflicts from happening in the future.

Participant in: November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Wlla Hasan is keen to develop intercultural comparisons of how the concepts of leadership and advocacy in Social Work and Care can be understood, implanted and improved accordingly, by learning new methodological, leadership and advocacy skills. She graduated from the World Islamic Science University and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 2013. Currently, she is a Master’s student in Social work/ Migration and refugees, at the German Jordanian University.

With nearly eight years of professional experience in the private and non-profit sectors, Wlla has been working with the Arab Women Organization of Jordan for five years, as a Projects Coordinator. Through her work she has cultivated her managerial, donor relations, and programmatic implementation skills in strengthening women’s rights and democracy and governance. She manages two women’s centres and 25 staff, providing GBV services for Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians in order to implement Resolution 1325, Women Peace & Security, in addition to the Jordanian National Action Plan (JONAP) for the Implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325. The services are: case management, group counselling, livelihoods, vocational training, awareness raising sessions on women and human rights, life skills and informal education. Utilizing her BA in Business Administration, Wlla has overseen all finance, operations, and implementation for seven projects so far, in partnership with the Government of Spain. She has strengthened relationships between grassroots organizations and the international community. Wlla has presented at three conferences in Spain and one international conference in Russia and participated in a democracy training in Germany.

Wlla has been a member of the research team for a study on Early and Child Marriage in Jordan in 2019. Currently she is a member and the administrator of the research team for a study, under the title: Exploring the experience of displaced single Syrian head of household women (SSHHW), Living in Irbid & Mafraq governorates, from a social work perspective. While donors in Jordan have prioritized funds towards humanitarian needs, Wlla has worked steadfastly to advocate for human rights and peace for all of those residing in Jordan, including citizens and persons displaced by conflicts.

Participant in: November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Jayne Waithitu is a court accredited mediator, mediation coach and trainer, Trainer of Trainers, peace builder, election observer and conflict resolution expert.

Jayne is the founder the Peace Warriors Organization (PWO), a peace building non-governmental organization in Kenya with community-based and well trained in Mediation actors. Jayne has been an international mediation coach for Interaction Management Associates (IMA) and currently Director of Education and training at Transformative Interaction Solutions (TIS). Jayne is a member and mentor of Global Give Back Circle, an organization that aims to empower young men and women in high-conflict areas through a long-distance mentoring program. A member of Rotary Peace Foundation in Kenya, Jayne was selected as a 2021 Rotary Peace fellow. Jayne has also actively contributed to the U.N. system-wide community engagements dialogues with local peace builders online since 2018. As a court accredited mediator with high court of Kenya, Jayne is serving in 7 law courts in 5 counties. As a member of FemWise- Africa which is Network of African Women in Conflict Prevention and Mediation and part of Global Women Mediators, Jayne is observing Presidential elections in Africa under African Union (AU).

Participant in: November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Samira Elmasoudi is a distinguished freelance consultant and human rights activist with over 15 years of experience specializing in gender, civil society, and international development. A prominent leader in the Libyan landscape, she served as the President of the Libyan Women’s Union in Tripoli (2012–2014) and currently heads a development organization dedicated to supporting youth and women. Her extensive professional background includes managing donor-funded initiatives, particularly those under the European Union, focusing on migration, peacebuilding, governance, and the restoration of the Rule of Law. In Libya, she has been instrumental in numerous human rights projects addressing transitional justice, disarmament, and the prevention of violence against vulnerable groups, notably submitting the annual Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on women’s rights to the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Samira’s academic foundation is a B.A. in Mathematics from the Higher Institute of Applied Sciences in Tripoli (1985). She is an internationally certified trainer in women’s economic empowerment and leadership, with credentials from CEDPA (USA and Indonesia) and BBC Media Action. As a recognized subject matter expert, she has addressed high-level international forums, including NATO in Naples and the EU Community of Practice on Peace Mediation in Brussels. Her research contributions include consultancy work for the “Supporting Arab Women at the Table” (SAWT) project and studies on community policing with the Danish Demining Group and DCAF.

A respected voice in global media, Samira has been featured on France 24 and Monte Carlo Doualiya (MCD) and was honoured as one of 12 influential Mediterranean women in the Swiss-published book Féminismes Dans les pays Arabes. Her work remains centred on advancing women’s participation in peacebuilding and advocating for gender equality across the Mediterranean region.

Participant in: November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Souad Kadi has six years of experience in the non-profit sector, managing educational and skills development projects. She earned her Masters in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Sussex. Her passion led her to open up on various aspects of social work. She is the founder of E.Tawjih, a virtual training platform for young Moroccan students on educational and career orientation. For 4 years, she was the Training Manager at Amal Women’s Centre (NGO) in Marrakech, Morocco, managing a professional and personal training in culinary arts and supported the job placement of +200 women. In addition, she is a US exchange alumni, who was placed with the American Association of University Women as well as a Cross Culture programme (Ifa) fellow and winner of the Alumni engagement fund (AEIF) which supported a permaculture training camp for primary students in Sidi Ifni, Morocco.  Prior to that, she worked for the non-profit Dar Si Hmad, where she was leading women’s capacity building training and managing an environmental education program.

Currently, Souad is a Project Support Officer at the Institute for Employment studies in Brighton. She is an ambitious young woman who is passionate about youth education, women’s empowerment and cultural diversity. She loves painting, graphic design and discovering historical spaces.

Participant in: November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Anum Aftab is a Programme Coordinator – Women, Peace and Security at UN Women Pakistan. She has around 7 years of experience working in Pakistan, Kenya and the USA. Her area of expertise includes preventing violent extremism and peacebuilding in Pakistan, focusing on youth and women. Academically, Anum completed her Master of Arts (M.A.) from The George Washington University, USA with a specialization in Conflict Resolution, and BSc. in Economics and Political Science from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Pakistan. 

Participant in: November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Dr. Farah Naz is serving as Assistant Professor at the Department of Government and Public Policy, National University of Sciences and Technology, Pakistan. She also serves as Gender Focal Person both for the UN-Women and the UN Peacekeeping Department at the Center for International Peace and Security, NUST. She is one of the trainers at the UN Peacekeeping Department. Her role is to sensitize both the Pakistani and allied Forces on ‘Women, Peace and Security’ and ‘Respect for Diversity’. She helps and assists the UN HQ with Gender-Based Training Manuals. Both courses are vital for the successful implementation of the UN Mission in conflict. She is also a member of the Expert Advisory Group on national and international security issues, IPRI. Review research articles and grants for the International Peace Research Association Foundation. Before joining NUST in November 2019, she served as Academic Staff and Sessional Lecturer at the University of Sydney, Macquarie University and Australian Catholic University, Australia.

Dr Naz has over ten years’ experience of working with governmental and academic organizations in Australia and Pakistan. She holds an excellent record of journal publications. Her research focus has consistently been on identifying the role of religion in peace, gender and politics at domestic and international levels and has been published in some leading journals of political sciences. Dr Naz has published two books: 1) Living under Hybrid War in 2022 and 2) COVID-19 challenges for Pakistan’ in 2020. She has also been very successful in disseminating research findings beyond academia through Op-Eds. Dr Naz received her PhD in Government and International Relations from the University of Sydney in Australia and an M-Phil in International Relations from National Defence University, Pakistan.

Participant in: November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Shenali Perera is a Sri Lankan social activist, applied psychologist, and researcher whose work focuses on social justice, postcoloniality, racism, and the role of religion in transformative political processes. She has extensive experience working with marginalized and conflict-affected communities in Sri Lanka.

Shenali is currently pursuing a Research Master’s degree in Theology and Religious Studies at KU Leuven, Belgium, specializing in Systematic Theology. Her research examines themes of memory, justice, and reconciliation, with particular attention to the role of the Sri Lankan Catholic Church as a custodian of collective memory in post-war contexts. Bridging theology, political thought, and lived experiences of conflict, her work reflects a strong commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship and transformative justice.

She holds an MSc in Applied Psychology from Coventry University, an MPhil in Intercultural Theology and Inter-Religious Studies from Trinity College Dublin, a BCom in Entrepreneurship from the University of Kelaniya, and a Higher National Diploma in Family Counselling from the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.

Beyond academia, Shenali has held leadership roles in initiatives advancing democratic engagement and social inclusion. As Project Manager at Hashtag Generation, she led a regional social media hate speech monitoring program in partnership with the Network for Peace and USAID. She also served as Director of the Coalition for Inclusive Impact. Shenali is also an alumna of the Mediation and Negotiation Fellowship at the Clingendael Institute in The Hague. Her work is grounded in the conviction that justice is what love looks like in public.

Participant in: November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Jihan Hisso is Kurdish Syrian, a highly motivated humanitarian professional, passionate about promoting community well-being through gender empowerment, mental health, self-care, and preventing violence against women and children. Over the last eight years, she has demonstrated the ability to work safely and successfully in crisis/emergencies, mainly in Iraq and partly in Syria, in mid-level management positions in programmes concerning child protection and women protection mostly. Jihan started her humanitarian career with a local NGO in Iraq. Then she moved to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) where she found her passion working as a Women’s Protection Professional. After that, she worked with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) for four years, managing the portfolio of their Woman Protection department in Iraq.

Currently, Jihan is supporting “Shar for Development,” a local Syrian organization, as a Gender and Protection Advisor, where she contributes to ensuring their approaches are gender mainstreamed. She has a robust technical capacity in advocacy, training, and empowerment. Jihan has an MSc in International Humanitarian Affairs from the University of York and is currently doing her MA in International Development Management at Bradford University, which she is highly enjoying, as part of the university’s Peace and Development department.

Participant in:

November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

March 2023 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Alaa Assani is a Gender Housing, Lands and Property rights (HLP) Expert with a focus on women’s IDPs and refugees in conflict-affected areas through her work with GIZ for four years combined with her theoretical experience in her MSc on the Gendered Impact of conflict on women in relation to their HLP rights, where she wrote many assignments in this field. Alaa has established and managed an HLP Women Working group to address women’s HLP challenges.

Currently, Alaa is working as the Resourcing the Feminist Movement Manager at Women International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) in the MENA region with a focus on Syria. Alaa is a feminist dedicated to applying intersectional, bottom-up and participatory holistic resourcing approaches in her work to make a change for women and advance feminist peace in Syria and MENA region by supporting women-led organisations and newly emerged grassroots groups by supporting their local feminist agendas and advocacy opportunities.

Besides her professional and academic experience, Alaa is usually described as an energetic person who spreads humour and positive energy around! Furthermore, she is a happy mother of Sam (who is 3 years old), a food and travel lover, and is interested in photography and socialising!

Participant in: November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Abir Belmabrouk is a gender specialist who graduated from the University of East Anglia after pursuing an MA in Gender Analysis and International Development. She was awarded the Chevening scholarship for young leaders and change-makers in their communities for the 2021/2022 cohort. Abir has an interdisciplinary background in diplomacy, international relations, education, and peacebuilding, with over seven years of experience in political debating, intercultural communication, and dialogue. Abir is a UN women’s UK intern working on projects related to women’s status and climate justice. Abir is a Lazord fellowship alumnus from the 2020/2021 cohort. She was a project coordinator in her host organization, working on gender equality, human rights, youth addiction, sexually transmitted diseases, and immigration. Thanks to her great commitment, Abir was selected to facilitate Lazord’s annual conference hosted by Injaz Organization Jordan, where she trained youth from Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan.

Abir studied International Relations at the Academy of International Development of Azerbaijan. She represented Tunisia at different international conferences and won the title of most outstanding delegate at Qatar’s International MOIC by Hamad Bin Khalifa University and ICYF. Abir was a former Young Mediterranean debater and a Soliya Connect Program alums in the 2017 cohort. She is also a climate activist cooperating with Stop Pollution Gabes to stop climate crimes in South Tunisia. After graduating, Abir returned to Tunisia, dreaming of a better future for her country and aspiring to achieve remarkable change in gender equality and peace.

Participant in: November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Amina Bintalib is the founder of Recovery Platform. She is doing training, advocacy, and is raising awareness about gender and climate. She is also a member of the Yemeni Women’s Solidity. She has more than five years’ worth of experience in the humanitarian-development nexus. Academically she has a degree in Marketing from Sana’a University. She is also a social entrepreneur who is interested in empowering women in Business. 

Participant in: November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Shatha Altowai is a Yemeni visual artist based in Edinburgh. She has presented at several art galleries in Yemen and beyond. Much of her work reflects aspects of life in her society, and the suffering caused by the ongoing civil war in Yemen. Shatha has been awarded the IIE-Artist Protection Fund (APF) Fellowship which was hosted at the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh (2020-2021). Since her arrival in Edinburgh in November 2021, Shatha has had the opportunity to resume her art practice that was restricted for 2 years since2018 due to threats she received in Yemen. She has been awarded also the first prize of The John Byrne Award on July 2021 for the first quarter. Shatha launched several art exhibitions and participated in some cultural events in Scotland in collaboration with different organizations. She is an artist-in-residence at Art27Scotland, where she co-created and performed the short-play ‘Saber Came to Tea’ and is currently exhibiting several paintings as part of Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

Participant in: August 2022 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Rasha Obaid is a sculptor and a painter from Yemen. Coming from Hadramout, Rasha’s style is influenced by her heritage, Sufi Islamic art. She is also interested in figurative 19th century realism and Ancient Greek and Roman sculptures. In particular, she is inspired by the female form, women’s rights, corporeal movement, abstract patterns, and the dynamics of light and shadow. She works with a wide range of materials, including clay, wax, graphite, charcoal, and stone. Beyond the artistic realm, Rasha has over 10years’ experience in the field of Women, Peace, and Security. She is a Visiting Fellow for the Centre for Women, Peace, and Security at the London School of Economics, and part of the Peace Track Initiative. She worked as a Gender Specialist at Falcon Speciality Coffee, advising on supply-chain and gender equity issues. In Yemen, she worked nation-wide on issues regarding women political participation and combating violence against women. 

Participant in: August 2022 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Lanka Bandaranayke is an award-winning short film producer, director, writer and actor from Sri Lanka. She started her stage drama career in 1998.Since then, she has produced and directed national award-Winning short dramas. Lanka finished her Bachelor of Arts degree (External) in 2016 from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka and in 2019 she received the ITEC scholarship to study a filmmaking certificate course at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television School in Kolkata. She is a2021/22Chevening scholarship recipient and is currently doing her master’s in Directing Film and Television at Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom. Lanka directed, produced, and wrote her first short film ‘Tradition’ in 2016, which  was screened in more than 50 international film festivals–including Open Doors screenings at Locarno Film Festival in 2018–followed by international and national awards. She was a jury and curator for fiction at the Sound & Image Challenge International Festival in 2018 and 2019at Macau. In 2020, Lanka made her short film Inheritance in partnership with the British council Sri Lanka under the Female Filmmakers First program. Since then, she has produced several other short films and her reputation as a young Sri Lankan female filmmaker has been steadily climbing.

Participant in: August 2022 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Maria Proshkowka is an artist from Kyiv, Ukraine. She graduated from Kyiv National University of Internal Affairs and studied at Modern Art School at the Modern Art Research Institute. Her work addresses problems of gender social studies, traumas and their impact on societies and self-identification issues. She was awarded a special prize by the contest of young artists МУХі 2017, as well as by VOGUE magazine, and participated in the American Arts Incubator in Ukraine. Her artworks are part of collections at Shcherbenko Art Center (Kyiv, Ukraine), MAMbo (Bologna, Italy) and private collections in Ukraine and abroad.

Participant in: August 2022 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Anna Makhlay is Project Manager in the Group of Strategic Consultants, Ukraine. The group provides policy building strategies for Ukrainian politicians and parties. In this position, she has also worked on arts-based events and initiatives including events with Ukrainian contemporary artists and musicians on the promotion of homeland sovereignty, the organisation of flash mobs, and the analysis of the impact of visual products on voters.

Prior to this Anna was an Assistant Consultant to a Member of Parliament of Ukraine and Chairman of the Legislative Support of Law Enforcement Committee. This involved providing legal expertise to party initiatives, building the framework for conflict resolution through round table discussions, organizing Committee hearings, preparation of deputy appeals and queries projects, and representation of the Chairman during parliamentary committees. From 2004 to 2011 she was the personal assistant to Yulia Timoshenko, Prime Minister and leader of the All-Ukranian Union “Batkivschyna”.

Anna graduated from the Faculty of Law of the Kyiv National University and is a John Smith Trust Fellow.

Participant in: August 2022 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Vibhaa Sreedharan is a final-year law student from India. She is passionate about International Law, International Relations, and Human Rights and seeks to practice in these fields upon completion of her studies. As a woman, she is curious to learn more about the roles that women play in dealing with and preventing conflicts. She is keen to learn from other people’s experiences and contexts.

Participant in: March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Salima Njoki is a human rights defender from Kenya championing the rights of women working at the grassroots level. Salima has spearheaded various programmes working with different human rights organisations and movements in Kenya. She assisted in mobilising women human rights defenders from 33 counties in Kenya to participate in the National Conference on Women held in Nairobi in 2015. In 1994, Salima joined the movement calling for constitutional change in Kenya and as a trained community organiser, Salima was instrumental in engaging with communities and worked with the Citizens Coalition for Constitutional Culture (4Cs) in the early 2000s. Salima also works as a facilitator and trainer and has trained teams of human rights monitors for Kenya Human Rights Commission. She conducts trainings on physical and digital security and is an associate trainer with RedR, a UK based organisation that provides training for people working in disaster relief. 

Participant in: March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Kula Roba Wako is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. She advocates for children rights, gender equality and social empowerment. She is the founder of CHAGI, a community-based organisation (CBO) whose vision is to educate residents of Marsabit County, Kenya on matters relating to HIV/AIDS and the stigma attached to it. CHAGI also works to protects child rights through community education on the rights of girls and particularly the importance of education for girls. Kula is also the National Coordinator at Equality Effect and works closely with the Kenyan National Police Service to develop a curriculum on the Investigation of Defilement that will be used to train police officers in the NPS across the country to be able to conduct prompt, effective, proper, and professional investigations. Kula has worked as a consultant and trainer with various organisations in Kenya. She was the Legal Officer at HAKI (Humanity, Activism, Knowledge, Integrity) Africa where her duties included giving legal advice on cases relating to defilement, domestic violence, land related issues, and child support.

March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Sharon Auma is a social worker based in Pader, Uganda. She completed her master’s in Social Work and Social Administration at the Kyambogo University in 2018. She currently works as a Project Officer at Pader NGO Forum. Pader NGO Forum began in 2002 as a coordination and advocacy network for civil society during the height of the civil conflicts wars that ravaged Northern Uganda for more than two decades. The organisation supports youth and women through human rights awareness, networking, and livelihood empowerment. In her role as Project Officer, Sharon leads a project that focusses on securing women’s land rights in Northern Uganda.

March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Kate Akello is a two-time Commonwealth scholar, funded by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK. She holds Master of Laws from Warwick University and is currently pursuing a PhD in Law at Durham University. Her PhD thesis locates itself within the rapidly expanding genre of literature known as Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL). Her research is two-fold, and it unpacks mainstream international law with the aim of exposing its biases and hegemony and on the other hand her research also reconstructs it to a counter-hegemonic international law. 

Kate has worked in complex conflict and post-conflict contexts with various non- governmental organisations in Uganda including Finnish Refugee Council, International Rescue Committee, War Child Holland, and Caritas Uganda. She has extensive experience in refugee response, IDP programming, peacebuilding, transitional justice, inclusive education and sustainable livelihoods. Kate developed an interest in peacebuilding and conflict resolution following her personal experiences during the protracted civil war between the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of Uganda which resulted in a situation of ongoing violence, internally displaced people and child abduction and the recruitment of child soldiers. Throughout the course of her work, Kate has developed communication, education and communication materials, advocacy strategies, gender inclusion strategies in humanitarian response, facilitated smooth reintegration of former LRA rebels into the community, built the capacity of stakeholders in alternative dispute resolution, contributed to the promotion of peaceful co-existence among refugees and between refugee and host communities. What motivates her most in her work is making a difference in the lives of marginalized communities. 

March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Hooria Mashour is a human rights defender, focused on the protection of rights of women and children. She was appointed to be the Minister of Human Rights as part of the National Accord Government in Yemen for 2012-2014. Prior to that, she was appointed as the Official Spokesperson for the National Council for the Peaceful Revolution in Yemen in 2011. She was the head of the National Women Committee, and after 10 years of experience, she was appointed to be a member of the Truth Investigation Committee to investigate the violent events in Aden. However, she resigned from her position and announced her objection to violence against the demonstrators. She is currently the Senior Advisor to the Transitional Justice Centre in Yemen. Hooria also works as a consultant on gender issues with many international organisations, some of which include UNFPA, UNDP, UNICEF, ILO, UNFPA, Counterpart, and Oxfam-GB. She also worked as a consultant in Oman during the preparation of the first national report on the 2010 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Throughout her career, Hooria has had many prominent roles and has made many different contributions in Yemen. She was the leader of the Women Development Strategy Team during 2000-2003, leader of the CEDAW reporting team, she supervised the team that was responsible for reviewing the law in Yemen considering Islamic law and its compatibility with international standards, especially CEDAW standards. She was also head of the National Delegation at the United Nations to present the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth National Report and was the head of the Gender Team with Responsive Governance Project (RGP) and supervised the preparation of the 2013 Human Rights Strategy. Hooria has a BA in Economics. She has many publications, the most important of which are: The Political Participation of Yemeni Women, a study with IDEA International (2004), Incorporation of Gender in Development with CEDAW, the National Assessment on Gender-Based Violence with UNFPA (2007).

March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Forozan Rasool is from Helmand Province, Afghanistan. She holds master’s degree in Public Administration from University of Portsmouth, UK. Forozan currently works as a Campaign Support Consultant with Amnesty International – South Asian Regional Office to support Human Rights Defenders in Afghanistan who are at risk. Forozan has worked for more than a decade with international organisations and NGOs in Afghanistan on good governance, women’s rights, human rights, and peacebuilding. She often works with local communities and strives to ensure that the perspectives of different groups working at grassroots level (women, community leaders, youth, community influential figures etc.) are heard by policymakers and international organisations. In 2019 and 2020, she facilitated two Peace Consultative Loya Jirgas in Afghanistan where major decisions were consulted with community leaders from various provinces. In 2020, she was awarded a “Top Peace Builder’ award from the Women’s Regional Network (WRN) and in 2021 was awarded the ‘Solidarity and Commitment Award’ from the Afghan Women’s Network. Forozan has represented Afghanistan at different national and international conferences including the Geneva Ministerial Conference in 2018 and 2020 and has conducted advocacy work with different UN agencies and with parliament members and senior diplomats in the EU, USA, and other countries.

March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Savan Abdulrahman is a Research Assistant at the Centre for Gender and Development Studies at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani. She is currently working on an LSE research project on the Roots of Masculinity. Savan is the editor-in-chief at DidiMn, a Kurdish cultural website. She is also a literary translator. Savan has worked in consultation with the director of Zheen Archive to select and translate Piramerd’s selected prose and poetry into English. Her translated work has also appeared in M—Dash, Mask Magazine, and The Militant. DidiMn has published her book “Translation: An Act More Than Changing Words” and May68 Youth Group has published her translated book “Universities in a Neoliberal World.”

March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Fatima Alwardi is from Baghdad, Iraq and is currently a HR Officer at Public Aid Organisation (PAO)Iraq. PAO is an NGO that works on strengthening human rights in society, women’s empowerment as well as research on perceptions of and the implementation on UNSCR 1325 in Iraq. Fatima is passionate about women’s rights and social movements

March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Elissa Shamma is a passionate activist from Lebanon who strives to be an advocate for human rights, and specifically women’s rights throughout her work and her life. She is currently a Programme Officer for Syria Programme at The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation, which promotes women’s rights in over 20 conflict-affected countries across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the South Caucasus. Prior to this, Elissa worked with several civil society organisations in Lebanon and Syria, and worked in the fields of social justice, women’s rights, conflict transformation, peacebuilding and empowerment. She is always keen to utilize participatory and feminist approaches in her work and uses the theory of change of working with people and not for them. Her interest in research, particularly on the topics of women’s rights, peacebuilding and non-violence brought her to study at the Academic University for Non-violence and Human Rights in the Arab World (AUNOHR) in Beirut, Lebanon, where she is now finalising her master’s thesis.

March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Dr Asma Wali holds an MBA and a PhD in Entrepreneurship. Asma has been an Assistant Professor at the University of Kashmir and Delhi Business School for over 8 years and teaches business ethics and management. In 2017, Asma established Poash, a non-political initiative that provides opportunities for female entrepreneurs to establish businesses and promote peace through dialogue by bringing together women from various walks of life and with varied political and social backgrounds. Asma runs various workshops and seminars for Poash members, some of which have included experiences of anxiety in women in conflict affected areas, work life balance for women working in conflict affected and conservative societies, and the role of technology for online sellers. Asma is 38 years old and a mother of two.

March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Diana Tellez- Delgado is from Colombia, she is an inclusion consultant and transitional justice expert. Diana currently works in the Office of the Mayor of Bogota as the Reconciliation Coordinator for the High Council for Peace, Victims and Reconciliation. Diana is an anthropologist, and holds degrees in Law and a Joint Master in Comparative Local Development from the Erasmus Mundus Programme. Her areas of research include intrastate conflict, gender studies, transitional justice, and public policy construction. Diana has more than 15 years’ experience working with the development of social and human rights national agendas in close cooperation with international organisations, NGOs and the Colombian Government. She has pursued additional studies in Peace, Human Rights and Democratisation Processes from institutes in Norway, Spain, Chile and Colombia. Diana currently resides with her husband, Jorge, and her dog Sula in Bogota, Colombia. Her character reflects the mountains of her native land in the Southern region of Colombia.

March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Aluat Mary Sebit is from South Sudan. Aluat Mary has a background working in the banking sector and in financial services and holds a BSc in Procurement and Logistics Management. Whilst working in various banking jobs she attended several training programmes that focused on women’s economic independence. From these trainings she learnt more about the challenges that women face due to financial dependency and she was inspired to develop additional skills to become a better advocate for women and work on women’s protection through economic empowerment. She decided to change her career and now works for the Centre for Inclusive Governance, Peace and Justice. In her current position she works on the protection of women through economic empowerment and the prevention of violence against women due to poverty and financial dependency. She works to create safe and reliable avenues for women to be financially stable.

March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Elizabeth Atong Malual is a trained lawyer, women’s rights activist and a peacebuilder. She is currently a Senior Program Officer for Gender Peace and Security at PAX for PEACE Netherlands. PAX for PEACE is a Dutch non-profit organisation that brings together people in conflict areas and concerned citizens worldwide to build just and peaceful societies across the globe. As a Senior Gender Programme Officer, Elizabeth provides internal advice and capacity building training on gender to their partner organisations; ensures gender mainstreaming across all programmes and at all project levels (design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation) and also facilitates knowledge development on gender, peace, and security at the organisation’s office in Juba, South Sudan. She also conducts trainings, workshops, and provides technical support to the programme stakeholders of their partner organisations.

As a peacebuilder, women’s rights activist and peace activist Elizabeth is particularly interested in human rights, mediation, gender programming, good governance in conflict, post-conflict and transitional processes, as well as civil society driven change.  Elizabeth’s goal is to fight hard for the rights of women in her country and in the region with the vision of seeing a country where women and girls feel safe to freely speak up on their fundamental rights without any threats or fear.

Participant in: January/February 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Grace John Kenyi Geri is a Women Peace Activist and Human Rights Defender from Juba, South Sudan. Grace is the Founder of Center for Strengthening Community Voices-South Sudan, women led organization working on Good Governance, Peace Building and Women’s Empowerment. She is also the former Governance and Peace Manager of the organization, Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO). She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Diplomatic Studies from the University of Juba, Centre for Peace and Development Studies; and a degree in Rural Development from the college of community studies and Rural Development-University of Juba.

Grace is well known for being an outspoken female activist in South Sudan on issues of human rights, conflict resolution, UNSCR 1325/South Sudan NAP, peacebuilding, governance, security sector reform, sexual gender-based violence and gender equality. She led a civil society campaign on inclusion of civil society in UN Peacekeeping Mission (UNMISS mandate) in South Sudan. She has effectively influenced the renewal of the UNMISS mandate since 2015. Grace John is also one of the civil society focal persons on the implementation of transitional justice as per the South Sudan Peace Agreement, 2015.

Grace John has participated in numerous regional and international women campaigns and lobby events, and is a progressive, influential female activist in conflict situations, with experiences of working with communities in violent armed conflict on issues of SGBV/GBV and conflict resolution. She is one of the female activists that are championing the implementation of UNSCR 1325, 1889 & 1820 during violent conflict contexts.

Before joining CEPO, Grace spent her professional life in various positions and organizations advancing in broadcast media (Radio and Television).

Participant in: January/February 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Deepti Singh is a recent master’s graduate of International Peace Studies from Soka University, Japan. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Technology in Computer Science major from Vidya College of Engineering, Uttar Pradesh in 2012. Post her engineering, she worked with the leading healthcare company – The United Health Group (UHG) for five years as a Software Tester and parallelly played a pivotal role in the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) sector of UHG. She has worked alongside several NGOs which focus on imparting education and character building for the less privileged kids in Gurugram, Haryana.

As a master’s student at Soka University, Deepti’s research was focused on “Global Citizenship Education as an educational priority to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”. Since August 2019, she has been working as a Global Schools Program Advocate in Japan which is an initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network of Youth. As an advocate, she has been facilitating programmes with schools in Japan to implement SDG education and Global Citizenship Education. She is also trained as a Climate Reality Leader by the former US Vice President Al Gore as a part of his project ‘Climate Reality Project – Tokyo’.

Deepti has been working as a freelance facilitator to provide mentoring and facilitation across a series of workshops online as part of the Beyond Skin Peace IV programme ‘Blueprint’ since August 2020. Blueprint is Building Positive Relations Cultural Diversity Programme that works across the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council areas in Northern Ireland supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

She is currently working as an ALT (Assistant Language Trainer) at a school based in Tokyo, Japan. She uses English as a medium of instruction to teach about SDGs, peace and sustainability.

Participant in: January/February 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Samina Ansari, is the head of public and corporate relations at Equality Check, a Norwegian tech- company with the mission to diversify corporate governance globally. She is also the founding director of Avyanna Diplomacy, a platform with the aim to connect social entrepreneurs from the Middle East and Central Asia to Europe for sustainable growth and stability. She has lived and worked in Kabul, Afghanistan (2015-2021), and actively worked on inclusion in the peace process. Ansari has a background in Cyber Security Law from the University of Oslo and Diplomacy from Sciences Po Paris. She is fluent in English, Norwegian and Dari. Since 2014, Ansari has implemented large-scale social impact projects for North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the United Nations, the European Union, International Trade Center, and Goldman Sachs in the US, Europe, and Central Asia with a focus on human security, economic growth, diversity and inclusion, and human rights. 

Participant in:

November 2021 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender and Conflict

Beyond Borders International Festival 2021: Dispatches from Kabul: Join Allan Little with Eldridge Adolfo, Advisor to the EU Envoy to Afghanistan, Afghan rights campaigner Samina Ansari, Beyond Borders Fellow Mariam Safi, and William Dalrymple, as they discuss the crisis in Afghanistan. (2021)

Titilope Ngozi Akosa is a lawyer, policy analyst, researcher, climate and gender expert and the executive Director of Centre for 21st Century issues. Ms Akosa is the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Gender Monitor for Anglophone Africa. She is a member of the continental executive board of the Pan African Climate and Environmental Justice Alliance (PACJA) as well as the South Western Nigeria focal point for Women in Peace Building (WIPNET), Nigeria.

Participant in: November 2021 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender and Conflict

Comfort Usman Kariko is a Nigerian legal practitioner, peacebuilding expert, and social impact leader advancing justice reform and inclusive governance across Africa. She holds a Law degree from the University of Jos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2020. With extensive experience in the development sector, she brings expertise in policy advocacy, programme design and management, gender equality, and conflict prevention.

Comfort has worked with leading institutions including the Kukah Centre and Partners West Africa Nigeria, where she led high-impact programmes on social cohesion, access to justice, and community resilience. Her work has strengthened state and local peace architectures, supported the expansion of women-led mediation networks, and advanced the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agendas. She has also played a key role in policy processes, contributing to the development and adoption of youth-focused peace frameworks and facilitating multi-stakeholder engagement across government and community levels.

She currently serves as the Executive Director of Amplify Youth Initiative, a youth-led organisation she founded to drive youth inclusion, justice reform, and inclusive governance. Under her leadership, the organisation implements the youth peace and security agenda, community-driven programmes on gender-based violence prevention, civic engagement, and access to justice, while leveraging civic technology to expand legal access for underserved populations.

Comfort has led and contributed to multiple research and consultancy engagements on gender equality, social inclusion, and conflict prevention, translating evidence into policy and practice.

Participant in:

November 2021 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender and Conflict

March 2023 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Ameya Kilara directs the South Asian Leadership Initiative at Inter Mediate, a programme focused on the role of leadership in conflict resolution in South Asia, working in partnership with Conciliation Resources and experts at the Harvard Kennedy School. Ameya has facilitated various dialogue initiatives across the Line of Control in Kashmir and an India-Pakistan track two process with former military and intelligence chiefs. She has provided technical support to the UN’s Office of the Special Envoy for Syria. As a solicitor at Linklaters, a leading international law firm, she helped to promote the mediation of commercial disputes. She holds a Master in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. She has received multiple awards for her work including Temasek Foundation-NUS Leadership Enrichment and Regional Networking Award 2008, the Gleitsman Leadership Fellowship at Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership 2016-18 and the Women of the Future Award 2019.

Participant in: November 2021 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender and Conflict

Muna Baig is a Commonwealth, Chevening and Fulbright scholar with an academic and professional background in public international law, human rights and advocacy. As the Director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, she led one of the oldest membership-based NGOs in Pakistan in the areas of human rights and democratic development, which was co-founded by the late Asma Jahangir in 1986. Prior to this, she worked with the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute on strengthening the role and independence of the legal profession and the judiciary as well as focusing on rule of law and justice sector reform issues across the MENA region. Muna previously worked in the Middle East to document and refer to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) the most vulnerable Syrian and lraqi refugees in need of third-country resettlement. She gained experience in international law-making and humanitarian diplomacy at the UN Security Council and the Sixth Committee in New York as a member of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Delegation to the UN.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Zorgh Madi is passionate about promoting gender equality and peace processes in Libya. Zorgh was born and raised in Libya. She studied Political Science and Economics. As a Program Manager at the TWM Organisation and a Women’s Empowerment Assistant at the International Youth Foundation, she is responsible for managing programs and projects that are implemented in both organizations. Through her work, she launched a campaign that promotes peace between Indigenous people and Arabs in Libya. As an advocate, Zorgh is proud to be the first person to include the gender perspective in the Libyan education system. Zorg was inspired to become an advocate by her grandmother, who was one of the first women to attend school in Libya.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Vian Ahmed is a senior humanitarian and women’s rights leader with nearly a decade of experience in founding, directing, and scaling regionally impactful programmes for women and girls affected by conflict, displacement, and humanitarian crises in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. Currently serving as Regional Director of Lotus Flower NGO, she has played a decisive role in shaping the organisation’s vision, governance, operational systems, and strategic growth, transforming it from a start-up initiative into a regionally recognised women-led organisation operating across multiple governorates. Since 2016, she has led and overseen integrated interventions that have directly reached more than 100,000 refugee and internally displaced women and girls, delivering protection, GBV prevention and response, MHPSS, livelihoods, and leadership development programmes.

Vian brings senior-level strategic, operational, and representational leadership, with full oversight of regional programme portfolios, multi-location field operations, organisational MEAL systems, and large multidisciplinary teams exceeding 100 staff. As a core member of senior management, she contributes to organisational strategy, financial planning, risk management, safeguarding, and long-term sustainability, while ensuring full compliance with international humanitarian standards and donor requirements. She has extensive experience in resource mobilisation, including proposal development, donor reporting, and partnership building with UN agencies, international NGOs, academic institutions, and government stakeholders.

Beyond operational leadership, Vian is a recognised international advocate and policy influencer on women’s rights, gender equality, displacement, migration, and the intersection of climate change and gender-based violence. She has been selected and invited by multiple governments and diplomatic missions — including the German Federal Foreign Office, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the U.S. Consulate General in Erbil, the Government of Canada, and European consulates — to participate in high-level advocacy missions, leadership programmes, and diplomatic forums in Germany, the Netherlands, Washington DC, and Iraq, engaging directly with parliamentarians, policymakers, donors, and senior decision-makers.

Her leadership and expertise have been recognised through highly competitive international fellowships and appointments, including selection as one of 25 women leaders globally for the Harvard Humanitarian Academy-led National NGO Programme for Humanitarian Leadership, fellowship in the Women in Conflict UNSCR 1325 programme, membership in the High Council of Women Affairs committee contributing to Iraq’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, and ambassadorship with Days for Girls International. She is a frequent keynote speaker, panel lead, and expert contributor at high-level events organised by UN agencies, INGOs, universities, donor-funded programmes, and diplomatic missions.

Known for credible leadership, strategic vision, and the ability to bridge grassroots realities with international policy and advocacy spaces, Vian brings a rare combination of founding authority, senior management expertise, and diplomatic-level advocacy experience. Her work is grounded in feminist leadership, accountability to affected populations, and a sustained commitment to advancing the rights, protection, and meaningful participation of women and girls in humanitarian response, peacebuilding, and sustainable development.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Shan Sherwan Hussein is currently a research fellow with the center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School were she focuses on peace negotiations and AI. She recently graduated with a Master in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School. Shan is a Gender Based Violence specialist. She is an experienced humanitarian leader, having first embarked on her professional journey by responding to support Syrian refugees and Iraqi IDPs during the war with ISIS. Shan has contributed during deployments by developing the toolkits used to help women and girls affected by conflicts in Iraq, Ukraine and most recently in Jordan.
Shan is also a dedicated educator and advocate for inclusive leadership and peacebuilding. She has taught negotiation and conflict resolution to civil society leaders, government officials, and students in India, Afghanistan, and Iraq, with a focus on empowering marginalized communities and advancing gender equity.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Dr. Raghdaa Zidan is an academic researcher with a PhD in Islamic Studies, specializing in social thought, legal, and constitutional studies, with extensive experience spanning over 25 years in academic research and education. She has made significant and effective contributions to international and local intellectual, social, and constitutional legal conferences and workshops.
A civil society activist, she has held several administrative positions in civil society organizations and institutions concerned with law, women’s issues, and the constitution. She has also worked in various academic and administrative positions, supervised several doctoral and master’s theses in the social sciences, and published approximately 12 books and a large number of peer-reviewed research papers. She is currently an assistant to the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor in Syria.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Leena Taha is a Gender Analyst at the UNDP Syria Country Office, where she implements projects on gender and the empowerment of vulnerable women. Prior to this, she was the National Gender Programme Lead and Coordinator at the OXFAM Syria Country Office, and Adolescent Development and Participation Officer at UNICEF in Homs and Damascus.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Kaushila Sunuwar is one of the Co-Founders of Nepal Unites. She has 6 years of experience as a facilitator and mobilizer. Nepal Unites works with marginalised people on youth leadership, non-violence, reconciliation, conflict transformation, and grassroots movements and focusses on bringing young people from different faiths, cultures, ethnicities and backgrounds together. She enjoys working with  and integrating with people in different communities and is committed to writing and sharing their stories, to make their stories and experiences more widely understood. Kaushila has a degree in Sociology from Tribhuvan University, and is now pursuing a Master’s degree in Sociology. In 2019, she took part in the School of Peace Course run by Interfaith Cooperation Foundation which took place in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Gulshan Saglam is a seasoned academic and advocate with nearly 10 years of experience in academia and over 28 years of active engagement in social work, specialising in sustainable development, public policy, and human rights. Throughout her career, she has focused on research, writing, lecturing, and organising think tanks that address critical social issues such as human rights, women’s empowerment, youth development, and sustainability.

With a passion for empowering others, Gulshan has dedicated much of her work to supporting entrepreneurs, particularly women and youth, by coaching them and connecting them to vital networks that promote business growth and development. Her commitment to social change is reflected in her role as a trainer and mentor, certified as a Trainer of Trainers (TOT) since 2007. She has delivered professional training across the MENA region and Europe, helping to build capacity and foster strategic initiatives that advance sustainable development and social transformation.

In addition to her academic and training roles, Gulshan is a weekly radio show host, focusing on women in leadership and sharing inspiring stories and lessons from successful role models. She is also the author of numerous studies, research papers, and academic articles, contributing to the global dialogue on sustainable development, social justice, and empowerment. Her work is driven by a deep belief in collaboration, capacity building, and the power of education to drive meaningful, lasting change.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Ola Alaghbary is the founder of Sheba Youth Foundation, a Yemeni civil society organization dedicated to peace and sustainable development. She is a committed peacebuilder with practical experience in local mediation. Her work involves direct engagement with conflicting parties in Yemen, focusing on facilitating agreements related to essential public services provision like “Water Local Mediation Efforts in Taiz City, Yemen”. Her commitment to peace is further demonstrated by her participation in the first track of peacebuilding in Yemen, where she represented civil society in the crucial negotiations for opening roads in Taiz city that was facilitated by the Office of Special Envoy to Yemen. With a background in law from Taiz University, Yemen, and having worked with various national and international peacebuilding and development organizations, Ola is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) at the American University of Cairo.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Alma Hashem is a Yemeni feminist and currently works as Safeguarding and Inclusion Coordinator at Islamic Relief in Yemen. She is a member of the Intersectional Feminist Collective (IFC) regional grassroots collective. Alma has been involved in many campaigns advocating for women’s rights and women’s political participation. She has represented women activists in a number of different international trainings and conferences.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Sena Namlu is a youth activist and social entrepreneur. She is the founder of SisterShip, an online platform aiming to bring together women volunteers from the host community and refugee women in need. Sena often engages with social profit organisations working on girls and youth empowerment. She has initiated many projects such as “We All One & Unique” a research project on women’s rights in Islamic countries and “GSU Student Council” that she founded at her university to empower Muslim girls. She is a board member of YCDC, the representative institution of Youth 20 in Turkey, and the project coordinator of Young Academics Forum, the annual forum of YCDC. She represented Turkey at the Y20 Summit in Argentina and at G(irls)20 Summit in Japan. After graduation, she worked for Doctors of the World – Turkey Office as a Grant Officer. Sena is currently a graduate student at King’s College London. 

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Gülece Şenel is a senior lecturer in the Department of International Relations at Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Turkish–Kazakh University, Kazakhstan. She earned her PhD in International Relations from Middle East Technical University (METU). She also holds MA degrees in Migration Studies (University of Sussex) and Conflict Analysis and Resolution (Sabancı University), as well as a BSc in Economics (Hacettepe University) and a BA in Modern Greek Language and Literature (Ankara University). Her research focuses on return migration, highly skilled migration, emigration, and the concepts of resilience, deservingness, and differential inclusion. Beyond academia, she has worked as a project manager and consultant with international organisations and higher education institutions.

Participant in:

November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

August 2022: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Razan Wazwaz is currently a Programme Officer at the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation in Jerusalem, a Swedish grant-making organisation that supports women’s influence and empowerment in times of conflict and war based on UNSCR 1325. Her work focuses on supporting the civil society in Palestine and Israel to combat gender-based violence, sexual violence and advance the participation of women in peace building initiatives, and advocate for their rights in national and international arenas.  

Participant in: April/May 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes; MENA Focus 

Aaliyah Kulsoom is a development worker based in Kashmir. She works extensively on women empowerment through skill development and livelihood creation. Aaliyah uses the centuries old art and crafts of Kashmir to empower Kashmiri artisans. Currently, she is working as a program specialist for a World Bank project implemented by Department of Handicrafts in Kashmir in collaboration with an Indian Organisation, Rangsutra Crafts India Limited.

In the past, she has worked in remote parts of Kashmir with female artisans and trained them with modern techniques in various handicrafts. She also linked these female artisans with designers in India, creating market links for their products.

Aaliyah has a Masters degree in Craft Management and Entrepreneurship from University of Kashmir. She also holds masters in Commerce and a post graduate diploma in International Business Operations. She is currently pursuing masters in Development Studies from Indira Ghandi National Open University.

Participant in: August 2019 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Nahiya Mahmood is from Chittagong, a coastal city in Bangladesh. She is currently a Country Programme Analyst at International Fund for Agricultural Development. Nahiya completed her MSc in Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding from Durham University, UK in 2020. From her experiences studying and working, she now has a wide network of over 1000 young Asian female leaders pursuing exciting work all over the world. Nahiya has travelled to South Korea and Hong Kong to participate in political economy and international development aid dialogues. Nahiya also worked for a year in Bangladesh in the world’s largest refugee camp supporting Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. Nahiya is a passionate advocate for women’s rights and children’s education. In her spare time, she enjoys listening to podcasts, cooking, and watching the tv show Friends with her friends. 

Participant in: March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Ana María Aristizábal Ramirez is a dedicated psychologist and a Master in Peacebuilding. Her professional journey has been marked by a deep commitment to addressing critical issues. From working in conflict zones, where she actively contributed to protection initiatives and the promotion of human rights, to leading environmental conservation projects, her focus has always been on fostering positive change. With substantial experience in project management in conflict-affected areas, Aristizábal Ramirez has tackled challenges head-on, working to protect vulnerable communities and ensure their safety in complex environments. This experience has been instrumental in shaping her approach, addressing immediate needs while laying a solid foundation for sustainable futures. Aristizábal Ramirez’s dedication to environmental protection has driven her involvement in sustainable projects, where she seamlessly integrates conservation efforts with community dialogue and participation. Currently, as an intern at the OAS, she contributes to the area of dialogue, participation, and the environment, with a special emphasis on gender-related issues. Aristizábal Ramirez firmly believes that integrating a gender perspective into all facets of her work is pivotal for building equitable and sustainable societies. Her vision is to continue working at the intersection of rights protection, environmental conservation, and gender equality to create a lasting positive impact. 

Participant in:

March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

March 2024: Climate Change, Gender, and Conflict

Yazmin Ramirez is a Colombian artist with 20 years’ experience in developing strategies for peace and reconciliation through exercises and artistic processes with vulnerable populations. As an actress, she has contributed with her experience to the formulation of public policy on children and women at national level and in the department of Cundinamarca, and compiled memories of the process to produce the play Otilia with the Juaica Terra group. As a singer and composer she has collected memories of the processes she went through with communities of victims of the armed conflict in Colombia and with reintegrated former combatants who took part in the artistic processes. She has worked in depressed and vulnerable communities in the Amazon, North Santander, Cundinamarca and Tolima. She has been involved in the development of educational processes for children’s and young people’s rights, gender equality and environment in the department. She has lived in the rural area of Tabio Cundinamarca for the last 20 years. 

Participant in: March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Shaima Bin Othman is a Yemeni woman from Hadramawt. She is a human rights defender, especially women’s rights. As a co-founder of Takween Cultural Club and Meemz Arts Initiative, Shaima has been a social activist and volunteer, focusing on the Arts and Culture as a method of advocating for social change since 2016. Shaima is the former CEO of Wa’ai foundation; during her time at Wa’ai, she established the first political forum in Hadramawt /Mukalla. She also participated at the young activist camp in Berlin in 2019 as a young leader from Yemen. She is currently working as a Research Fellow at the Yemen Policy Center (YPC). She has published numerous reports and articles highlighting the role of youth-led initiatives in the peace process. Shaima is a member of the Women Solidarity Network. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Hadramawt University. She was granted a scholarship from the U.S. Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) for the Tomorrow Leaders Program to study her master’s degree in Middle East Study at the American University of Beirut. Shaima’s MA thesis will be revolving around Women Political Participation. 

Participant in: March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Sara Al-Mahbshi is currently a project assistant working on the Feminist Peace Project at Peace Track Initiative. Sara is also an MA candidate at the University of Lethbridge where her research focusses on Yemeni women’s political participation post-2014 conflict. Sara holds a BA in Political Science and History from the American University in Cairo. In 2018, Sara spent 6 months in Sudan working with UNICEF in the Child Protection Section and worked in the fields of child soldiers and alternative families. She is interested in international relations, gender studies and conflict studies. 

Participant in: March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Fatima Outaleb is a human rights activist with extensive experience advancing women’s rights at local, regional, and international levels. She has worked on UN and international instruments on gender equality and developed response toolkits and guides for survivors of gender-based violence (UNFP, ABAAD). She has served as an expert with the North-South Council of Europe, she currently serves as MENA regional representative on the board of the Global Network of Women’s Shelters, and as a steering committee member of the Feminist Alliance for Rights. She also sits on the advisory board of ABAAD (Lebanon), the executive board of Union de l’Action Feministe (Morocco), and is co-founder of the Arab Feminist CSOs Network (2020). Her writings cover feminist movements, Islamic feminism, gender-based violence, and practical tools such as SOPs and helpline guides.

Participant in: March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Beatrice Ndefon Ngwe is a Cameroonian peace builder, humanitarian leader, and advocate for women’s rights. Born in Cameroon, she is the Founder and Executive Director of the Solidarity Health Foundation, which provides health care education to vulnerable communities in the country’s conflict-affected South West Region. Beatrice has played a pivotal role in advancing peace building initiatives, including contributing to the landmark Cameroon Women’s Peace Pact. As Chief Financial Officer of the South West North West Women’s Taskforce ( SNWOT), an Alumni of the Beyond Border Scotland Women in conflict program, she has championed women-led humanitarian coalitions during the ongoing Anglophone Crisis. Ndefon has taken the cause she supports to international stages, including the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, where she has pressed for global solidarity with Cameroon civilians facing displacement, insecurity, and rights abuses. Her grassroots leadership emphasizes evidence-based advocacy and community-driven solutions, from lobbying for safe school resumption during conflict to improving livelihoods, climate resilience, and local governance.

Participant in: March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Clariss Rufaro Masiya is dedicated and well-trained Project Manager, and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion expert who has a working knowledge of Monitoring and Evaluation with a rich mix of over 7 years’ proven success in coordinating positively impacting programs and robust capacity-building initiatives with a passion in enriching marginalized communities and promoting social inclusion. In addition to her development work, Clariss is an accomplished writer, contributing articles and opinion papers on topics related to social vulnerability, community development, environmental issues, and women’s rights. She holds a BSc in Peace and Governance and an MSc in Disaster Management.

Participant in:

March/April 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Jaya Tiwari is a Senior Manager, at Maitrayana Charity Foundation. Maitrayana leverages the power of sport to create ecosystems that empower girls and women to fulfil their potential. With over two decades of experience working in the Indian development sector. Jaya has worn many hats and Since 2009, Jaya has been responsible for the overall implementation of the Young People’s Initiative (formerly Goal programme) across Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore and through partners in Tamil Nadu and Punjab. She ensures high quality execution of the programme, manages grants and is instrumental in the further development of the YPI. Jaya manages a team of 60 young leaders and builds relationships with a variety of stakeholders. She has attended various leadership conferences organised by Dasra (India), American Express, Women Win (Netherlands) and Laureus (UK) and has been a member of Global networks like Vital Voices and Woman Sports Leadership Academy (University of Chichester). Member women in conflict 1325 2022. In 2025, Jaya successfully completed Reliance Foundation and Vital Voices, Women leaders India Fellowship. Jaya holds a Master’s Degree in Human Development, S.N.D.T University, Mumbai and wrote her post-graduation dissertation on Home-Based Care for People Living with HIV.

Participant in: January/February 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Mina Mahmood Ibrahim is from Baghdad, Iraq. She is currently a Programme Officer at Public Aid Organisation (PAO), Iraq. PAO is an NGO that works on strengthening human rights in society. Her work focusses on women’s empowerment, perceptions of and the implementation of UNSCR 1325 in Iraq, and on changing the discriminatory stereotypes against women. Mina Studied Computer Science at the University of Technology, Baghdad. 

Participant in: January/February 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Bonyan Gamal is a feminist human rights activist and lawyer based in Sana’a Yemen, she is a cofounder of Kalbunyan for Development. She was a field researcher, then a field lawyer, then an Accountability and Redress officer and she was the legal support unit director at Mwatana for Human Rights, she has been working in Mwatana for 8 years, during which she worked on documenting human rights violations through field and open source research. She worked on Transitional Justice, cases of women and minorities and cases on international and criminal international law and lead the legal support team in providing legal support in thousands of cases around Yemen.
Bonyan currently serves as Program Manager for the Yemeni Archive an international organization based in Berlin – Germany, where she leads a team of 4 people working on documentation, strategic research planning, fundraising and strategic development, while collaborating with local and international partners to strengthen accountability, evidence preservation, and advocacy efforts related to violations in Yemen.

Participant in: January/February 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Asmahan Aleriani is the General Manager at Enjaz Foundation for Development which is a Yemeni civil society organisation that runs humanitarian response programmes in various fields of work including food and agricultural security, water and sanitation, education in emergencies, economic empowerment, and peace and good governance. She has over 10 years of experience as a trainer and advisor on various social development projects and has particularly focussed upon gender equality, good governance, and peacebuilding projects in Yemen.  

Participant in: January/February 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Shanya Mohammed Saeed is from Kurdistan, Iraq. She is currently working as the Communication and Digital Media Officer at the Center for Gender and Development Studies at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (2015) in English Language and Literature from the University of Sulaimani. Following her graduation, she started working with IDPs and refugees through organisations such as the Global Youth Organization and Un Ponte Per as a mediator and peacebuilding facilitator working to promote peace, social cohesion, and coexistence. As a female in Iraq, she has a strong passion for gender-based causes, women’s rights, and gender equality. Her aim has been to support and encourage women to get a sense of independence and to support them in pursuing decision-making positions in society. 

Living in Iraq, one of the most diverse nations in the world with several different communities, Shanya has consistently worked on planting the seed of peace; to engage with different communities despite all the contextual, ethnic, religious, and gender-based variances that exist. The latter being one of the main reasons why she always tries to enrich her background with different cultures and languages in Iraq to understand people’s needs. She hopes to see peace take over the instabilities that occur in Iraq by working to make dialogue sessions a tool for finding common ground in the area, as well as showing the real image of Iraq to the world, not the one that has been illustrated by the media. 

Participant in: January/February 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Baiye Frida Ebai is a Cameroonian peacebuilding researcher, practitioner, and trainer with over 10 years of experience working in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. She specializes in gender, conflict, and Artificial Intelligence in peacebuilding, exploring how tools such as AI-assisted early warning, risk forecasting, counter-disinformation, and digital civic governance can strengthen conflict prevention, civil security, and inclusive peace processes.

Frida holds an M.Sc. in Corporate Communication and is a PhD Fellow in Sociology at the University of Buea, Cameroon. She has completed professional certifications in Migration Management, AI in Peacebuilding, Women in Conflict Prevention, Conflict Analysis and Mediation, Responsibility to Protect (R2P), DDR, and Gender, Conflict & Peacebuilding, among others.

As a trainer and facilitator in Digital Security and Safety, she equips peacebuilders and communities with practical tools to navigate digital and physical environments safely. Frida has served as a Women, Peace & Security Consultant for the International Crisis Group in Cameroon, contributing to research, stakeholder engagement, and policy recommendations, including co-authoring reports such as “Rebels, Victims, Peacebuilders: Women in the Anglophone Conflict”, and facilitating workshops to strengthen women’s participation in peace processes.

Her work centres on amplifying marginalized voices, promoting inclusive dialogue, and advancing responsible AI governance in peacebuilding and civic protection.

Participant in: January/February 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Sanjula Pietersz is a young lawyer from Sri Lanka and is currently working as the project coordinator of the Social Justice Commission of Alliance Development Trust, a leading NGO in Sri Lanka which works in the areas of human rights, governance and peace. Her role is primarily associated with mobilizing and empowering grassroot level youth on democracy and human rights in Sri Lanka. Sanjula completed a Bachelor of Law (LL.B.) degree at The Faculty of Law, University of Colombo in 2018. 

In 2016, Sanjula received an award as ‘The best young reviewer’ from an alternative newspaper in Sri Lanka. She was the representative of ‘Families of the disappeared’  (FOD) at United Nations Sri Lanka in making the report on the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 “Youth, Peace and Security”, in 2017. She contributed as an author for a collection of Tamil language articles published on the 10th anniversary of the end of the Sri Lankan civil war, in 2019.  

Sanjula is working very closely with the war affected people in the North and East of Sri Lanka, particularly with families of the disappeared and supporting their struggle towards seeking truth and justice. She actively engages with social movements against enforced disappearances, land grabbing, political prisoners, militarization etc. in Sri Lanka. She has contributed towards addressing the issue through speaking in public platforms as a freelance writer, photographer and a translator.  

Sanjula studied photography at ‘Hegoda’, School of Photography. She used her passion and skill on photography to bring out the hidden stories of war victims. She has contributed to photography exhibitions, published photo-stories and her photographs have also been used for other articles. Sanjula was one of the contributors of the “My Sri Lanka, y Future” photography exhibition organized by the United Nations Sri Lanka” in 2014. She was also on of the contributors for the “Unframed” photography exhibition organized by Vikalpa.org (http://unframedsl.org/about-unframed/) in 2018, which highlighted the realities of the post war context in Sri Lanka.  

Sanjula is the editor of a Sinhala language E-magazine – Sahurdhaspandhana (Pulsation of Solidarity) – which consists of Tamil literature and art, and strives to signify the unavoidable need for justice through publishing victim’s literature and art in majority language. Such a magazine has not been published for over 20 years in Sri Lanka. She is also a translator who tries to create political consciousness by translating poems and other literary products on conflict written by Tamils into Sinhala. Sanjula is an influencer on social media. She shares information on the national question in Sri Lanka and opinions by re-reading the distorted history of the country, which enlightens the public. In 2020, she and three of her friends started an initiative on social media based on Sinhala and Tamil literature to develop a political dialogue on the ethnic issue in Sri Lanka that aims to reformulate the established social myths regarding minority people’s rights (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1302974290054251). 

Participant in:

January/February 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

August 2022 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Dr. Marufa Akter is an Associate Professor at the Department of Global Studies and Governance (GSG), Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB). Her academic and policy research spans over 15 years, with a particular focus on South Asia’s evolving geopolitical landscape, human security, regional security in the Bay of Bengal, and feminist approaches to foreign policy. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Bremen, Germany. Dr. Akter also earned a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy, University of Erfurt, Germany, under a DAAD scholarship, as well as Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in International Relations from the University of Dhaka. Additionally, she completed a year-long graduate program on Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation at the SIT Graduate Institute in Vermont, USA.
Dr. Akter has taught international relations and Bangladesh studies at the University of Bremen, Germany, and BRAC University, Bangladesh. She is a recipient of several international fellowships, including the SUSI Institute on Foreign Policy (University of Delaware, USA) and the 1325 Women in Conflict Fellowship (Beyond Borders, Scotland). Her expertise has been sought by multilateral agencies, including the World Bank, where she has provided strategic advisory on gender, SEA/SH risk management, and social inclusion. Her research covers a wide range of themes, including women’s political empowerment, gender-based violence, inclusive governance, refugee rights, trafficking of women and children, female labour force participation, water governance, geopolitics, and the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. She has conducted significant work with the Rohingya community from a gender equality and human rights perspective.

Participant in: January/February 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Suparva Narasimhaiah is currently working as a Gender Specialist for the Security Sector Reform (SSR)/ Rule of Law Programme at UNDP Iraq. She works with the Office of the National Security Advisor in Iraq to mainstream “gender” across the National Security Strategy and the Security Sector Reforms Plan for Iraq. She also engages extensively with the Ministry of Interior, Women’s Empowerment Directorate, Independent Human Rights Commission, and civil society organisations in Iraq to support the implementation of the Women Peace and Security 1325 National Action Plan for Iraq. She additionally works within the UNDP Iraq Country Office to support gender mainstreaming across the Country Office programming on all thematic areas. Prior to working with UNDP in Iraq, she worked for five years with USAID and UNDP in Afghanistan – as a Programme Management Specialist – focusing on Anti Human Trafficking, Rule of Law (SSR and Human Security), Gender (Spotlight Initiative for Afghanistan), and Transitional Justice with the Human Rights Commission in light of the peace talks between the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban. She has also worked with the International Law Commission, UN Secretariat, International Peace Institute, and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.  

Suparva graduated with a Master’s in International Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University in 2012. She graduated with her bachelor’s in law from Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), in India after which she clerked with the former Chief Justice of India at the Supreme Court of India.   

Participant in: January/February 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Zaina Waturi Kombo is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a Woman Human Rights Defender. She has over 7 years of experiences working in human rights and development with a mix of both grassroots organising and policy influencing. She holds an LLB and LLM in Law, Governance and Democracy both from the University of Nairobi. She is an active member of Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) – Kenya, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) – Kenya and the Law Society of Kenya. She holds a certificate from the African Union on Gender Mainstreaming in Peace Support Operations, she is a trained budget facilitator on Gender Responsive Budgeting (By Institute of Public Finance Management – Kenya), and completed training on results-based project management (by Swedish Development Agency) as well as training on inclusion and nondiscrimination (by LSU – Sweden). 

In her various experiences, she has worked with youth and women in efforts to prevent violent extremism. In her current role she is involved in peace and security initiatives geared towards security accountability in African countries through capacity building and supporting grassroots human rights organisations in Kenya and beyond. 

Zaina Kombo believes that women still need to fight for their space in development and decision-making processes as the “glass ceiling” has proved to have numerous layers in different contexts of the world. 

Participant in: January/February 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Bahar Ali is the Director of Emma Organisation for Human Development in Erbil, where one of their main focuses is upon the implementation of UNSCR 1325. Prior to this role, Bahar was a UNFPA and UN Women consultant on developing strategies for ending violence against women in Kurdistan and the elimination of GBV. She has taken part in numerous conferences on service provision for GBV survivors, combatting violence against women, and gender issues in Iraq.

Participant in: May 2018 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes 

Dr. Khedija Arfaoui is a a prominent Tunisian peace activist, feminist,  academic, and a member of ICAN’s  Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership  (WASL). She worked as an English teacher, a vice-principal and principal before teaching at the University of Tunis. She was a teaching assistant at George Washington University in 1978-1979 and 1979-1980 (where she got her M. Phil in 1992), and a Fulbright lecturer at Lake Forest College (2005). She joined civil society in the mid 1980s and has since then worked extensively to promote environmental issues and women’s claims to equality, peace and stability. She is a freelance researcher, lecturer and feminist activist and has had several articles published, particularly about women’s rights in the Middle-East and North Africa.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Soudaba Wahabzada is a Peace and Reconciliation Associate with UNAMA, where she contributes in projects promoting peace and conflict resolution in remote provinces of Afghanistan with a focus on women’s inclusion in mediation, conflict resolution, and peace negotiations. In addition, she has been working on providing practical legal courses and legal aid clinics focusing on gender-equality and promoting women’s access to free legal aid services and justice institutions.

Soudaba was born and grew up in a remote district (Injil) of Herat province where she graduated with the honor of first-grade student of her school. She then the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) through U.S Embassy Scholarship in 2015. She was selected to participate in and represent AUAF in the Nuremberg Moot Court Competition in 2016 in Germany and was selected as a member for Gujrat International Moot Court competition in 2018 in India. In December 2018, she graduated from AUAF majoring in Law and minoring in English with a GPA of 3.90 and she was selected as the Valedictorian for AUAF Graduating Class of 2019.

Soudaba’s great passion is to contribute in achieving a sustainable peace in Afghanistan, especially by building capacities on conflict analysis and peacebuilding as well as to protect fundamental human rights in conflict-affected communities. She is currently writing a short story displaying the effects of child marriage and unpleasant traditional stereotypes on Afghan girls’ lives.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Anusha Maharjan is a spoken word poet, podcaster and a youth-activist who leads youth movements in Kathmandu, Nepal.  Anusha works as Vice-President in the only youth-led NGO in Kathmandu named ‘We’ for Change. The NGO promotes spaces for leadership for young people aged 16-24 years. She is a passionate activist of the Global Goals and is motivated to work towards building a sustainable and peaceful society where there is equity, peace and justice, and equal rights. She believes we all have the power to bring people together and change the world through our words, our voices, and our kindness.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Shokhan Hama Rashid Ahmad is a human rights defender and activist working in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Ahmad is the director of Women’s Legal Assistance Organization (WOLA). WOLA is the first women-led legal aid organisation in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. She is a member of the board of directors of the federation of civil society organisations. Ahmed has been working for more than 16 years to protect the rights of women, especially the victims of honour killing.

Shokhan is also a trainer in the field of domestic violence and advocacy. She regularly arranges seminars and workshops to raise legal awareness about domestic violence. She had a key part in the advocacy and campaigns for the passing of the domestic violence law at the Kurdistan Parliament. She received an honorary recognition from the Kurdistan Parliament for her work on laws related to women. She received the Dutch Consul’s Award in 2017 for working to reduce and eliminate female genital mutilation in different regions in Iraq, as well as activities that have led to the enactment of domestic violence law. Shokhan believes that women need to be bold by stepping up and ending violence and other abuses perpetrated against them.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Amal Abdulqader Al-Bokhiti is the Executive Director of AWAM Foundation for Development and Cooperation, an independent non-profit organisation based in Yemen concerned with issues of democracy, good governance, peacebuilding and human rights, and especially strengthening and achieving women’s rights in conflict areas.  She is also the head of the initiative Shahab Peace for Peacebuilding. Amal has been working in the field of women’s rights since 2010 and works on raising awareness at community level on gender-related issues including early marriage, women’s participation in decision making, and women empowerment. Since 2015, Amal has been involved in convening meetings with Yemeni women on peace and security issues. She is a member of the 1325 Alliance for Women’s Issues and Link Alliance for Yemeni Women. She has participated in a number of workshops and meetings to support women’s participation in peacebuilding and conflict resolution, mostly in Amman, Beirut and Cairo.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Dr. Nadia Al Sakkaf is a professional researcher with expertise in policy and politics research with a solid background in communication and advocacy. She has worked extensively in both academic and practical aspects of politics, as well as in government. In 2014 she was the first woman to be appointed Minister of Information in the Republic of Yemen.

In addition to her academic research and policy papers, Nadia also specialises in developing and implementing communication strategies. Her combined experience in journalism, non-profit organisation, academic research, advocacy and policy enables her to produce cross-cultural effective and engaging campaigns. While working in the non-profit sector, a part of her job was designing strategies and policy papers as well as oversee their implementation, and to train partners and stakeholders in relevant aspects. In recognition of her work in the public domain, Nadia has received several international awards including the Oslo Business for Peace Foundation Award in 2013, being the first Arab woman to be awarded so.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Wimarshana Ranasinghe is a peacebuilding and learning professional with over a decade of experience designing and facilitating transformative training programs across diverse cultural and institutional contexts. She holds a Master of Arts in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University and has worked across Sri Lanka, the United States, and India.
Her work centers on conflict transformation, restorative and trauma-informed practice, and inclusive leadership development. Wimarshana has led youth leadership and multicultural initiatives and facilitated trainings in Nonviolent Communication and restorative justice, strengthening trust and collaboration within diverse communities and institutions.
She currently serves as a Visiting Academic at the Open University of Sri Lanka, where she teaches Nonviolent Communication, and at the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, where she teaches multicultural education. In these roles, she integrates theory and lived experience to cultivate emotionally intelligent, socially responsible learners.
Known for creating participatory and psychologically safe learning spaces, Wimarshana is committed to nurturing resilience, deep listening, and inclusive dialogue. Through her work, she continues to support individuals and communities in building just, compassionate, and sustainable pathways toward peace.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Nyuon Susan Sebit (Suzy) is a seasoned young lawyer/advocate passionate about the rule of law and access to justice with a wide range of experience and training in Justice Peace and Security. She specialises in women and girls’ rights, women, peace & security, youth, peace & security and human rights. She believes in equality of all before the court of law. Ms. Susan holds Bachelor of Law (LLB) from the University of Juba, 2013 and had several years of training in the field of human rights, mediation and conflict resolution. In 2018, Suzy joined the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), as the third recipient of the Cora Weiss Fellowship for Young Women Peacebuilders. Through this fellowship, she can join the GNWP International Coordinating Team where they work to promote effective implementation of UNSCRs 1325 and 2250, and the supporting resolutions on women, peace, and security. She supports the youth, peace and security agenda at the national and local levels. She has previously worked with UN Women South Sudan Country Office on the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls programme. Suzy is a founder and the Executive Director of National Alliance of Women Lawyers (NAWL) where she works to promote and protect women and girls to ensure the implementation of women peace and security and ending violence against women and girls. Suzy advocates for women’s participation at all levels of governance and leadership.  Susan believes in gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls to unleash their full potential and be most effective to their society and the nation at large. Susan believes that women’s economic empowerment through education will lead to key leadership positions and equal pay.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Ishika Millaniyage specializes in youth leadership and community peacebuilding with over 10 years’ experience working with leading local and international civil society organizations such as Sarvodaya movement, Australia Awards – Afghanistan, UNFPA, and is currently attached to Internews Sri Lanka as a senior project officer. During her career as a program coordinator with Sarvodaya, Sri Lanka’s largest civil society movement, Ishika has represented Sarvodaya at National Reconciliation Policy drafting consultations and National Transitional Justice taskforce consultations. Ishika holds a MSc. in Project Management from the University of Bedfordshire, UK, a post graduate diploma in Peace and Conflict studies from University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, and is currently pursuing her second BSc. degree in the Psychology stream from Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK. She has represented Sri Lanka at the Youth Town Hall – Summit for Democracy 2021 organized by Joe Biden administration and has also served as a judge of the Royal Commonwealth Society – the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2021. She was a Beyond Borders -Women in Conflict 1325 fellowship recipient in 2020 and is a US Department of State Alumnus; a Community Solutions – Tolerance and Conflict resolution Fellow 2015 and has worked with Little Friends For Peace (LFFP) on peace education curriculum development and facilitating peace building and conflict resolution training. She has also served in the US State Department Community Solutions, and Community Engagement Exchange fellowship program selection panels for five consecutive years since 2017. In 2013, she was appointed by the National Youth Services Council Sri Lanka to serve the Brunei High Commission as a Youth Ambassador during Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Ishika is a volunteer of Sri Lanka Unites Youth movement since 2012 and is also attached to Global Unites, and Centenary Movement as a core team member.

Participant in:

November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

August 2022 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Filo Tuivanulevu is originally from Fiji, in the South Pacific and holds a M.A in International Development from the University of Sussex, with specialism in Participation, power and social change. She is currently International Projects Coordinator at the 2050 Climate Group. She has worked in the areas of development, gender equality, youth and young women’s leadership in Fiji and the Pacific. Filo’s areas of interest include, exploring the challenges of power relations, participation and young people’s engagement in development and civic processes. She is also interested in engaging in change processes in pursuit of social justice. Prior to joining 2050 Climate Group, Filo has worked in development programmes that aim to build on young people’s leadership potential, and find ways to effectively engage in decision making spaces. She has also worked in programmes that aim to address gender inequality and the exclusion of women and girls from decision making processes that affect them.

Participant in: November 2021 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender and Conflict

Amb. Chief (Mrs.) Caroline Usikpedo-Oliseowe, FCIA is the Executive Director of Noble Delta Women for Peace and Development International, a non-governmental organisation based in Nigeria with special consultative status with the United Nations ECOSOC, accredited to the United Nations Environment Programme and the Green Climate Fund. The organisation’s vision is to empower Niger Delta women and the most vulnerable people in the region, and to promote and realise their rights. She is also the convener of the Civil Society Advance Forum on Sustainable Development (CAS2030), a national platform and alliance of civil society organisations working to advance the achievement of the SDGs and Agenda 2030 in Nigeria. She previously served as Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs to International Organisations for the International Human Rights Commission, and currently holds the position of Deputy Secretary General (Africa).

A Chartered Administrator and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Administration, she holds a degree in Government and Public Administration from Imo State University, Owerri, a Master’s degree in Public Administration from IICSE University, Delaware, USA, and a Certificate in Climate Change and Governance from Wageningen University, Netherlands.

Prior to refocusing her career, she worked as an actress, model and beautician, and spent 20 years gaining extensive experience across the hospitality, ICT and NGO sectors. An accomplished international speaker, she has presented numerous papers on development, peace and conflict, and human rights on behalf of rural women at global conferences and United Nations forums across the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom and beyond. She was a Keynote Speaker at the High-Level Panel of the United Nations High Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York, USA, in July 2014. As an Ambassador for Peace, she regards community peace and security as critical to sustainable development, and is committed to peacemaking through women’s empowerment — a model she has applied in transforming the lives of women and young people through skills and vocational training, both at home and abroad.

Recognised as a women’s leader within her community, across Nigeria and on the global stage, she has served as President General of the Isoko Development Union (IDU) Women’s Wing, and has held board positions with several international organisations and networks, including CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation (2013–2016, South Africa), Innovation for Change Africa Hub (Kenya), Co-Chair of the Women Major Group of UNEP Forum (Kenya), the Africa Round-Table on Sustainable Consumption and Production (Uganda), and as a Global Facilitation Team Member for the Feminist Task Force (FTF) in New York, USA. Her work has earned her recognition and awards from the local to the international level. In her daily life, Caroline is a wife, mother, activist, leader, princess of a royal family, and a community chief.

Participant in: November 2021 Fellowship: Climate Change, Gender and Conflict

Reem Belikeir is a Libyan activist and human rights defender. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and is a Human Rights and international humanitarian trainer. Reem is also an advisor to Libya’s National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). Reem has a strong interest in Libyan general affairs and human rights issues. She is a civil society activist and is the head of an organisation that supports youth and women.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Hana Al-Showafi is based in Yemen and works in the fields of women, peace and security, inclusive governance, and conflict resolution as well as youth empowerment on local and community level. Hana Al-Showafi is currently the Gender Policy Officer at the Embassy of the Netherlands in Yemen.  She has experience of over eight years in working under extreme conditions of political instability, war and conflict with a number of aid and development International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs), as well as local stakeholders in Yemen. She is a member of #SupportYemen Art Collective and a member of the Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) Chatham House Initiative, as well as a delegate of Generations for Peace.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Shatha Al-Aghbari a Yemeni Peace activist and digital marketing specialist. Programme Officer at Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights (SAF). SAF is an independent, non-governmental feminist organization that has been working since 1999 to defend human rights in Yemen. She is also coordinator of Women’s Voices of Peace Network, that focuses on women, peace and security in Yemen.  Shatha is a member of Arab Voluntary Union, Arab African Council for Integration and Development and Eval_Youth that work on an Arab and regional level regarding youth and development. She has been working in the field of peace and gender since 2015. She has been participating in many conferences, workshops and trainings regarding peace and gender at the Arab and international level, including the Torino Forum for Sustaining Peace. Recently, She is working in the field of empowering women within the framework of Resolution 1325. Shatha is a member of YPS-Pact, Women’s Solidarity Network and Civil Agglomeration of Taiz Youth. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Sana’a University.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Nyaboth Alfred is a youth and women’s rights activist. Nyaboth is the Advocacy Coordinator for South Sudan Council of Churches. She is also a Founding Member of Organisation for Responsive Governance (ORG) a civil society organizstion keenly involved in monitoring the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan, R-ARCSS. Nyaboth is a trained peacebuilder and for the last five years has been working with both national and international organisations to contribute to a peaceful and gender equal society.  She is currently an Expert in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Roster of Technical Experts in the Mediation Support Unit (MSU), she provides technical support to mediators and mediation processes in the IGAD region.

Nyaboth is passionate about youth and women rights issues, her work at the community level contributes to changing the minds of young people about violence especially towards women. Her work also involves empowering women to speak up about violence at all levels. She also mentors girls who are survivors of violence both in IDP camps and in schools. Nyaboth contributed to the development of Youth, Peace and Security 2250 document ‘The Missing Peace’. Ms. Nyaboth believes that a society can achieve a sustainable peace and development when women are absolutely respected and included in the issues facing the societies.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Mary Deng was born in South Sudan and grew up in the East Africa region, where she pursued her early education and later moved to Australia to continue her studies and achieved a Diploma in laboratory technology and a degree in Medical Science at the Queensland University of Technology. She settled back in South Sudan after her studies, where she works for world health organization (WHO) as a consultant/technical officer. She later become the founder and the executive director of Hope Beyond Adversity (HBA). She has years of experience in humanitarian settings and in the private sector. She’s a member of many associations who are working for the interest of women. She also works as a facilitator and a trainer as part of her consultancy works; she recently facilitated lobby and advocacy training for women parliamentarians in South Sudan. Her previous work experiences enable her to effectively use her professional skills in her current position as the executive director of hope beyond adversity. In this position, her role is to oversee the administration, programme and strategic plan of the organisation, resource mobilisation, and to organise community outreach programmes especially for women. Mary is an activist and a peacebuilder and is passionate about women peace and security as well as women empowerment. 

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Aicha Duihi is a researcher specializing in human rights and economics, working at the intersection of governance, sustainable development, and social justice. She serves as President of the Geneva International Observatory for Peace, Democracy, and Human Rights (IOPDHR-GENEVA-NGO) and is a member of the Commission for the Coordination of Measures to Combat and Prevent Trafficking in Human Beings. She is also a co-founder of the regional “WE” network, which brings together women human rights defenders across North Africa and the Middle East.

She holds a postgraduate diploma (DESA) in Organizational Economics from Mohammed V University in Rabat, a Bachelor’s degree in Management from Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech, and is a graduate of the IAE in Poitiers, France. She has also received specialized training on the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security.

Active internationally, Aicha Duihi regularly contributes to regional and global initiatives promoting human rights, peace, and democratic governance. Her commitment has earned her several international recognitions, including being named among the 100 Most Influential African Women in 2023.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Manjula Vijay is a Programme Manager of Operation Red Alert, a programme run by My Choices Foundation – an organisation committed to stopping domestic violence and sex trafficking in India. She handles documentation of the process of the Safe Village Program, from approvals to follow ups. She also manages the Red Alert Helpline and documents all of the Data received.

Manjula has always believed in gender equality and justice, but her voice was heard, and views validated when she started working for a feminist organisation in 2013. This was the beginning of her commitment to working for justice and safety of women and girls. Believing that children are the hope for the future, she is passionate about interacting with young children about issues of gender discrimination, equality, and violence against women. Manjula is a passionate learner and is always looking to acquiring new skills and constantly keep herself updated.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Jini Agrawal, a resident of Nepal, has experience working in media, private consulting firm, and international non-profit. She has been leading Miyamoto offices in Nepal and has supported in recovery and rebuilding efforts since the 2015 Nepal Earthquake. Prior to that, she has worked with national and international media, her major focus being disaster and women issues. She has worked with indigenous communities in the rural parts of the country focusing on housing and livelihood issues. She is a board member of Initiatives of Change Nepal and is actively involved in design and implementation of the trust building program that focuses on bridging gaps between different communities within the country. She is also the National Coordinator for Women’s Peace Circle.

Jini completed her master studies from University for Peace in Costa Rica in Media, Peace and Conflict studies. She has attended several trainings on mediation, negotiation, peace, reconciliation, and justice. She loves to experience culture and food during travels, to visit war and history museums, and to read non-fictional books.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Hana’a Hamood is from Baghdad, Iraq. She has been working in the NGO field in Iraq since 2004 and she is currently the head of the administrative board for the Public Aid Organisation (PAO) and is a member of the Iraqi Women Network (IWNW).  Her work focusses on women’s empowerment and on changing the discriminatory stereotypes against women. She is working with colleagues from the Iraqi Women Network on establishing new legislation concerning women’s rights. She has also written reports including a shadow report on the CEDAW convention, and the reality of implementation of UNSCR 1325 in Iraq. During the conflict she started worked closely with Iraqi IDPs and returnee women, specifically on protection and economic empowerment and continues this work today.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Dr. Aishath Rafiyya has over 18 years of management and administrative experience in various capacities such as banking, diplomacy, social activism, women’s empowerment, business, tourism and NGO management. Rafiyya holds a doctorate degree in Politics & International Relations, Master’s in Business Administration, and a Master’s in Information Technology. Rafiyya currently holds multiple positions at various institutions in the Maldives and abroad. She is a Director at the Sun Siyam Group of Companies, Founding Member & Deputy Leader of the political party Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), Director of the Global Peace Institute (GPI), and an elected Member at Women Development Committee (WDC) of Male’ City Council. Rafiyya is also the Founding President of the Regional Alliance for Fostering Youth (RAFY) – the first international NGO established in the Maldives. She has been involved in peacebuilding missions for a decade and has been contributing to National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Maldives as a consultant, contributor to UNDP Maldives and is an invited expert from to UNODC events on preventing and countering violent extremism. She has founded several platforms for young people to be involved in the global peacebuilding mission such as the Global Peace Ambassadors Program, Global Teens Peace Summit, Global Youth Peace Summit, Girls Peace Talk show, Maldives Youth Peace Summit among others.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Aïcha Madi is a political analyst that specializes in security and gender issues. She currently serves as a feminist peace project officer at Peace Tack Initiative, a women-led Yemeni NGO that promotes women’s participation in the peace and political processes in Yemen. She has had several field experiences in the MENA region where she worked with women victims of sexual and gender-based violence as well as with mothers of victims of enforced disappearances and victims of torture.

Aïcha holds a Bachelor’s degree in international studies with a peace and security concentration, and a Master’s degree in public and international affairs, with a specialization in political communication and journalism. from the University of Montreal (Canada). She also studied at the UN Mandated University for Peace where she focused on the protection of refugees and women’s participation in peacebuilding. Her research interests lie in the study of international security threats such as armed conflicts, terrorism, radicalization, corruption, and gender issues. Her latest research on collective memory trauma and transitional justice processes was published in the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims’ Journal of Torture.

Aïcha has also worked with a team of Canadian researchers on the prevention of radicalization leading to violence in North America. She cultivates an approach that promotes peace, security, and gender equality and that focuses on victim impact analysis.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Nyachangkuoth Rambang Tai is a feminist, a peace activist, human rights defender, and is a co-founder of The Mother Care Organization. She is the special Assistant to the AU chairperson advisor on policy and strategic relations with the African Union Organs (AUO). Nyachangkuoth is also head of Gender Programmes at the Assistance Mission for Africa (AMA). Nyachangkuoth raises awareness of the cross-cutting nature of gender equality considerations in the social, economic, political, scientific, cultural, and educational fields. She seeks the participation and inclusion of women in decision-making processes and the protection of women from all types of violence. Nyachangkuoth also conducts trainings and workshops that empower women to embrace free, just, dignified, and self-actualizing lives in South Sudan. In her work, she incorporates the Generation Change training manual, which has allowed her to effectively transform her community. She was a USIP youth advisory council member, and she briefed the UN Security Council on South Sudan representing South Sudan Civil Society. Nyachangkuoth is a graduate of Bahr El Ghazal University with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Social Studies.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Sudha Upadhyayula has over 20 years of experience in both the corporate and social sectors. She has a strong project management background. Structuring efficient processes, building scalable technology ecosystems enabling seamless growth in operations are her strengths. With a desire to contribute to society, she decided to build a career in the social sector and joined My Choices Foundation’s Operation Red Alert as Head of Operations in August 2016. She believes in the concept of lifelong learning and is pursuing a Ph.D. from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.  The Indian concept of “Vasudaiva Kutumbam” – “the world is one family” is very close to her heart which says that the happiness of a society depends on the happiness of each and every person within it. She constantly strives to pursue activities to build happy communities.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Ola Ali is a technical and qualified WASH Senior Engineer with project and delivery experience in the humanitarian and private sector. She has extensive experience in development and building organizational capacity in fast-paced, start-up and community centred environments with a particular focus on built environments. Her background provides a combination of strong technical skills with field experience where she often works in collaborative and multicultural settings. Ola is currently a Chevening Scholar and is completing a master’s degree in Water and Environmental Engineering at the University of Surrey, Guildford.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Tahani Yaghshi works as a Conduct and Conflict Management Specialist at The George Washington University. Tahani is a peacebuilding practitioner and researcher with over ten years of experience in conflict-affected contexts, including Syria, Tunisia, and Sudan. Her work focuses on conflict transformation and community-based dialogues, with a particular emphasis on the roles of women and youth in building sustainable peace. Her research explores bottom-up approaches to peacebuilding, the role of civil society, and reconciliation processes. Tahani holds a Master of Science in Conflict Management and Humanitarian Action from the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Damascus University and she will start her PhD in Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University in the Fall of 2026.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Iqra Zaffar is a Researcher at the Central University of Kashmir. She has a keen interest in issues related to gender and social justice. She has conducted numerous studies on the impact of conflict on women. In her latest work, she has documented the effect of perpetual lockdowns on women experiencing domestic violence in Kashmir. As a part of her doctoral research, she is currently studying the impact that gender has on happiness and performance in the workplace. She is also a Samanbal member, which is a programme that provides safe space for women to express themselves and share their experiences about the ongoing conflict in Kashmir.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Naima Korchi is an international lawyer and an expert on the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda. She began her career with the United Nations, and it was during her tenure with UNHCR that she recognized that while women are the most heavily impacted by conflict, they also serve as excellent mediators in prevention. This realization led her to focus her professional efforts specifically on WPS.

Following her work with the UN, Naima continued her career as an international consultant, deploying to numerous countries. Since 2018, she has been a member of the African Union Network of Women Mediators (FemWise-Africa) and has served as a mediator in several countries, including year-long deployments to both Sudan and Madagascar.

Naima is also a facilitator on WPS, having organized training sessions for UNITAR for Libyan civil society organizations and for Beyond Borders Scotland on the topic of climate change. She is regularly invited as an expert on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 both in Morocco and abroad. Finally, she is the founder of the NGO Africa Women’s Forum, which seeks to strengthen cooperation between women across the African continent.

Lailufar Yasmin, PhD, is Professor and former Chair of the Department of International Relations at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. She studied at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Georgia State University in Atlanta, USA, and Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. She has received the US Fulbright, the British Chevening, and the Australian International Post-Graduate Research Scholarship (IPRS). Her fellowships include positions at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland; the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) in Beijing; the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) in Hawaii as a Fellow of the FIPSS (Fellowships in Indo-Pacific Security Studies); Beyond Borders Scotland; the Marshall Center for European Security Studies (GMCC) in Germany; and Ghent University in Belgium. Her recent publications focus on women’s participation in the July Uprising in Bangladesh (“Where are the Women?”), the Rohingya issue (Palgrave Macmillan: London) and “The Development of International Relations in South Asia” (Oxford Research Encyclopedia). She is a regular speaker at various national and international seminars, and particularly on Women, Peace and Security, at the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operations and Training (BIPSOT). Her areas of expertise encompass Bangladesh’s politics, economy, and foreign policy; the Rohingya issue and maritime mixed migration; South Asian affairs; China’s foreign policy; maritime security and the Indo-Pacific Region; and women’s participation in UN Peacekeeping, among others.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Zineb Benalla is an international expert and consultant in preventing and countering violent extremism, counter terrorism and peacebuilding who spent years working in violent extremism hotspots in the Maghreb, Sahel, and the Middle East. Zineb Benalla has a long experience working with international organisations, civil society, communities, religious leaders, traditional leaders, and with policy makers across many countries and continents.She was nominated for the International Women of Courage Award in 2015 for her work in preventing and countering violent extremism and building peace in the Sahel and Maghreb region. She was awarded Alumna of the Year by Alakhawayan University, Morocco for her outstanding career after graduation. She won The International Studies Association Peace Section and Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies Global South Peace Award in 2020 for her work and research on gender equality and preventing and countering violent extremism in the Maghreb and Sahel.

Zineb Benalla is the CEO and Founder of Eirene Associates Int. which is the first international development and security company in Morocco, she is also the co-founder of a civil society organisation working on transnational violence and countering violent extremism. Zineb Benalla is a visiting professor at the intersession unit at Alkhawayan University where she teaches ‘Rethinking Counter terrorism in Africa: Lessons in Prevention’. Zineb Benalla holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Alakhawayn University, Morocco and Georgetown University, USA. She holds a Degree in International Law from Kent Law School and Brussels School of International Studies.

Participant in: February/March 2021 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Kritika Krishnamurthy is a corporate commercial lawyer and policy expert with extensive experience in financial regulation, dispute resolution, and digital reforms. She serves as Honorary Director at Bridge Policy Think Tank, India, a sector-agnostic think tank dedicated to shaping India’s public policy landscape as a non-profit. She works at the intersection of law, economics, pharmaceuticals, fintech, MedTech and governance to support governmental and non-governmental organisations, regulatory bodies and international institutions.

Kritika serves in several distinguished international and governmental capacities, including being empanelled as a Mediator with the World Bank, and holding advisory roles as External Consultant to the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, External Consultant to the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Mediator for the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Her professional contributions have been recognised through multiple honours, including the Forbes Legal Powerlist, ASSOCHAM National Legal Excellence Award, India Business Law Journal’s Future Legal Leaders, and BW Legal World 40 Under 40. She is a Fellow of UN 1325 Women in Conflict (Beyond Borders, Scotland) and an alumna of the Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation and Government of Maharashtra scholarship programmes, reflecting academic excellence and global leadership. She has also received advanced mediation training from the International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ICADR) and the Global Mediation Forum in Bangkok.

Her previous work includes high-impact policy research and advisory projects across diverse sectors. She has authored reports on payment innovations and financial inclusion in South Asia for the Alliance for Financial Inclusion, advised the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) on creating a global dispute resolution framework at GIFT City, and provided expert inputs to the World Bank on improving delayed payment mechanisms for MSMEs under the India RAMP Project. She has consulted for USAID Sri Lanka on enhancing access to justice through ADR, collaborated with the European Union on harmonising digital health regulations under the EU-India Think Tanks Twinning Initiative, and developed multi-jurisdictional studies on drug pricing for the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority. Her work also spans emerging areas such as Central Bank Digital Currency, fintech regulation, climate governance with the Green Climate Fund, and sustainable municipal waste management with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MOHUA). These initiatives reflect her commitment to evidence-based policymaking, institutional reform, and socio-economic inclusion.

Kritika is deeply invested in knowledge dissemination. She serves as visiting faculty at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), and the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University of Law. As an author and academic, she has co-authored *The Art of Negotiation and Mediation*, published by LexisNexis and recommended by the Bar Council of India as a textbook for law students, and *Third Party Funding of Dispute Resolution*, published by Eastern Book Company (EBC).

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Nadia Gamal Ebrahim is a committed advocate, researcher, and human rights defender with 19+ years leading protection and gender justice across Yemen, Egypt, and MENA. Amid conflict’s shadows, she has driven transformative projects with national and International Organizations including IRC, MSF, PTI, UAF, funded by OFDA, EU, NORAD, GFW to forge gender equality, protection, livelihoods, development, and resilience via innovative design and international human rights mechanisms.
As advocate and defender, she transforms strategic vision into tangible impact, designing protection programs for women HRDs, supporting GBV survivors through rapid response mechanisms, conducting researches, policy advocacy, trauma-informed approaches, safeguarding, integrating gender/resilience frameworks, and strengthening capacities for peacebuilders, and community changes makers.
Her resonant voice advances WPS analyzing Yemen’s UNSCR 1325 NAP and exposing human rights/GBV realities to catalyze reform. Co-Founder of The Pomegranate Collective; Technical Advisor to Bridges of Hope Foundation (Zimbabwe); board member of Center for Peacebuilding Organization in Africa (CFPO), she nurtures and empowers emerging changemakers with inspiring vision.
Nadia is a Fulbright FLTA alumna (USA); Countering Hate Action Network; and member of several networks including Women Solidarity Network; Yemen Justice Network; WHRDMENA Network; Women in Leadership Network, and Global Mentoring Connect. She now weaves coaching and mentoring into her roles of impact and forges paths of enduring progress, turning adversity into opportunity for change and hope.
She speaks Arabic, English, and French. In addition, Nadia is a published writer with articles, studies, analysis and researches on gender, GBV, peacebuilding/conflict, protection, and contributed to develop some tools and guides.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Eman Ftayah is a Syrian women’s rights advocate and peacebuilding leader currently residing in Luxembourg. She holds a Teacher Training College Certificate and serves as Head of the Syrian Women’s Peace Forum. Since 2012, she has participated in numerous workshops and conferences both inside and outside Syria, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to women’s rights and political dialogue. She served for four years as Project Manager of the initiative “Syrian Women and Their Role in Resolution 1325,” a project funded by the EuroMed Feminist Initiative, and is a member of the Syrian Women’s Coalition for the Implementation of Resolution 1325.
Eman has represented Syrian women at significant international forums, including the 2018 Sochi Conference for Syrian Political Dialogue, and has participated in numerous women’s conferences held under the auspices of UN Women and the Dutch organisation Hivos. She has also taken part in workshops focused on Arab women and their role in peacebuilding in Jordan. Beyond her advocacy work, she has served as supervisor of several emerging grassroots initiatives in Syria, including the Euphrates Girls Initiative, the Zenobia Syrian Women’s Gathering, and the Read Initiative. She is a recipient of a fellowship certificate from Beyond Borders, Scotland, and was a candidate in the Syrian People’s Assembly elections in 2020.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Dr. Payal Bose Biswas is currently a Senior Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science at Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Vivekananda Vidyabhavan based in Kolkata. Payal has more than 15 years of teaching at a range of academic institutions. She has won various fellowships and scholarships and has represented India in a US Government sponsored program on Foreign Policy. She has authored various textbooks, research-based books and published many other articles in renowned journals and edited volumes. Her research focuses on gender equality and gender mainstreaming. Payal holds an M.Phil from the University of Calcutta and a Ph.D from Jadavapur University.

Participant in: November/December 2020 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Tamana Slathia is the founder of a youth-led peacebuilding organisation called The Daffodils Project. She has been working towards peacebuilding and conflict transformation in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh for over 5 years. She is recognized as a Global Peace Ambassador for mainstreaming gender in peacebuilding processes and projects. As part of her inclusive peacebuilding approach, she has trained over 500 youth from different backgrounds and organised events sensitising youth towards conflict in Jammu and Kashmir. She is a public speaker on Youth, Peace and Security and is a mentor to young women, globally, for feminist peacebuilding. Working on SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Stronger Institutions) with a focus on localising SCR 2250 (Youth, Peace and Security) and SCR 1325 (Women, Peace and Security), through her new role at The Daffodils Project, she advocates and facilitates a larger role of youth and women in peacebuilding and conflict transformation.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Choman Hardi is Assistant Professor and Chair of the English Department at American University of Iraq Sulaimani, where she founded the Center for Gender and Development Studies. Choman was awarded a scholarship from the Leverhulme Trust to carry out post-doctoral research about women survivors of genocide in Kurdistan-Iraq. The resulting book, Gendered Experiences of Genocide: Anfal Survivors in Kurdistan-Iraq, was chosen by the Yankee Book Peddler as a UK Core Title. Choman is a published poet and was poet in residence at Moniack Mhor Writers Centre (Scotland), Villa Hellebosch (Belgium), Hedgebrook Women Writers’ Retreat (USA) and The Booth (Shetland). She began writing poetry at the age of 20, producing, Life for Us and the moving, Considering the Women, which explores the relationship between immigrants and their homeland, and the plight of women in an aggressive, patriarchal society and as survivors of political violence. The work received a Recommendation from the Poetry Book Society and was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best collection. As an academic researcher she has been a visiting scholar in The Centre for Multiethnic Research (Uppsala University), Zentrum Moderner Orient and The Department of Humanities at the University of Amsterdam.

Participated in:

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

August 2019 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Beyond Borders International Festival 2019: Considering the Women: Listen as Kurdish poet and translator Choman Hardi reads from her latest poetry collection Considering the Women, a collection exploring the equivocal relationship between immigrants and their homeland. (2019) 

Utpala Chakma was born in Arunachal Pradesh in a Chakma community in northeast part of India bordering Mayanmar and China. Chakma is lingual and religious minority in the country. She currently works for the DHRD Network in Pune, where she works on strengthening human rights defenders from marginalized communities in India.  Prior to this, she has held roles with a focus on women’s empowerment and youth and community development with a variety of CSOs. Utpala studied social work as a specialization on Dalit and Tribal Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai.  She is looking forward to being a social activist and making a difference in the lives of people from marginalised sections of society, especially women.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Khalida Darwish is the focal point (Kandahar) for “Women for Peace and Participation”, which promotes the social and political inclusion of women and youth in peace building processes at the grassroots, national, and global levels. They aim to bring balance and enhance women’s participation in peacebuilding processes at all levels, and especially to raise the voices of those working at the grassroots level.

Khalida graduated from Kabul University with a BA in Russian Literature and obtained a master’s in business administration from the University of Commerce and Business Management in India. She also obtained a Certificate in Professional Development for Businesswomen from American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) and holds a diploma in Banking and Finance. During her education she was passionate about gender equality and women’s empowerment having experienced gender imbalance and gender discrimination. She is focused on women’s empowerment by providing them opportunities, education, and advocacy to explore the potential and build believes that our little efforts can provide the platform or foundation to bring that is required and rebuild our society. She works with a group of volunteers to organize workshops, trainings and other related events for women and their families at different level to bring the positive change in the attitudes.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Chandra Senaratne is the Director of NGO Management Development Centre, based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where she provides capacity development training facilities for the staff of private, public and non-Governmental organisations in Sri Lanka. She provides consultation services to develop training modules on entrepreneurship development, human resource management, capacity development, gender-based violence, gender and development, gender mainstreaming, women and conflict management, disaster management, Human Rights, humanitarian work, social accountability, governance and advocacy, good governance and social integration.

Prior to joining NGO Management Development Centre, she was the Deputy Director at National Youth Services Council in Sri Lanka where she contributed her professional experience to produce youth development and training policy. She worked at National Youth Services Council for nearly 26 years in a senior executive level position.  She was the designated project Director of Youth Council for UNFPA in Sri Lanka. She was the first officer who led and coordinated Canada-Sri Lanka Youth Exchange programs in 1978/79 and 1980/81. She completed a Diploma Course on Youth Development and Training in India under Commonwealth Asia-Pacific youth Program, Manpower Planning training Course in Thailand and Environmental training in Pakistan. She worked for the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Cambodia and East-Timor in 1992 and 1996. Chandra graduated from the University of Ceylon with a special degree in Political Science.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Nizhan Ramadhan has 5 years of unique expertise in the humanitarian field in Iraq, and she currently works as Gender and Protection Officer with CARE International in Middle East, a role she has held since 2016. Nizhan has a Bachelor’s degree in 2014 from the University of Duhok Humanities Faculty.  She has been active in violence against women and violence prevention issues for more than 5 years and is considered a national expert on sexual, domestic violence, fighting against gender inequality and social injustice. She believes poverty cannot be overcome unless everyone has equal access and control over resources and services including equal participation of women and girls in discussions and decision makings process at both community and household levels this is why she is honored to spend her time working on an issue she cares deeply about in order to make a shift in gender norms and structures underlying inequities. She is committed to uncovering and transforming the political, social and economic relationships at the heart of poverty —to improve the health and well-being of women and girls which is critical to that fight through fighting for every individual’s right to be free from abuse or violence.

Nizhan represents CARE in relevant external fora, media and with other external stakeholders on gender issues. Moreover, she supports project research, evaluations, and baseline studies on gender/women’s empowerment with technical advice and guidance including leading inclusion, GBV and RGA and conflict assessments in the conflict sensitive and disputed areas in Iraq such as Sinjar and Zumar in Ninawa governorate. Also, she has a long experience in developing training materials, modules and material for sessions on UN Security Resolution Council 1325, oversight on whether staff and mainstreaming gender by appropriately apply the skills acquired through trainings, include planning, evaluative monitoring and reporting. Nizhan brings professional experience in the development of concept notes, proposal, budget designing, project documents and policy frameworks\ reviews and research area and gender issues for best practices. She attends conferences, workshops and seminars as directed by the supervisors in the region and represents CARE at CARE MENA and other CARE country offices. She is a staff representative of CARE international in Iraq from 2017 until to 2019 and her main role is to provide individual staff an opportunity to discuss issues in the workplace confidentially.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Eesha Oaj works as a researcher, trainer and young peacebuilder with the Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR), which is a civil society organisation working on peacebuilding, mediation, and reconciliation with the motto of ‘peace through dialogue’. As a researcher she has worked extensively on documenting the impact of conflict on women living along the rural Line of Control (LoC) areas in Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PAK). She has travelled widely across PAK and engaged with grassroots communities by facilitating workshops, focus group discussions and storytelling sessions with conflict-affected women and youth. Eesha has also been engaged in reconciliation initiatives in refugee camps based on peace through arts and nonviolent resistance. As a young peace builder, she has worked on community cohesion and cultural harmony by facilitating dialogues at community level.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Yasmin Luqman is a recent graduate from the MSc International Relations of the Middle East with Arabic programme at the University of Edinburgh. She fascinated by the role of women in peacemaking and conflict resolution and especially in the role of Middle Eastern women. For example, she has been passionate about the Palestinian cause since she was young and recognises the critical role women play in preserving cultural memory and resistance movements. In completing her Master’s degree, she researched and wrote her dissertation on the role of Yemeni female activists during the Arab Spring uprising in Yemen and the challenges they have faced due to their gender, including a chapter on the role of peacemakers and the challenges they face from male delegates. She is half-Yemeni and has an aunt who is heavily involved in empowering Yemeni women and girls and in peacemaking processes to end the war in Yemen. She would eventually like to pursue a PhD programme furthering this research and is looking forward to hearing perspectives from others on this! In addition, she is a volunteer for the Scottish Green Party and also works on the social media strategy for an Edinburgh-based NGO focused on climate change called MAD Challenges.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Sanaa Khan is a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist at Prodigy Systems, a third-party monitoring organisation in Yemen. She leads large-scale third-party monitoring tasks for UN agencies. She has experience in conducting monitoring and assessments for UN projects that are related to health, communication for development and protection sectors. Her work includes providing real-time monitoring of outreach and vaccination campaigns, non-technical monitoring of mine action activities and tracking of behavioral change practices in cholera affected communities. Sanaa has a B.A in Gender Studies from Westminster College in the United States and is an alumna of Lester B. Pearson College, United World College.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Ola Karakra is an international practitioner who currently works as a Livelihoods Specialist in UNDP Iraq. The main goal of her work is to jump start the local economy in areas recently liberated from ISIL, through provision of different schemes in livelihoods. Prior to working with UNDP Iraq, Ola worked in DAI Europe in the Arab Women’s Enterprise Fund as a Lead Market Systems Analyst in Palestine, Jordan and Egypt. Before this, she worked with UNDP Palestine on Livelihoods’ Improvement and Poverty Reduction, in order to economically empower the less privileged people, which happen to mostly be women. In addition to this, she worked for Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Palestine on local governance improvement and community empowerment.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Dilara Gök is one of the founders of Conflictus Training and Consultancy. She has been working in discrimination, conflict resolution, mediation and peacebuilding fields for almost 7 years with many national and international organizations in Turkey. Currently, she has developed training programs, new modules, approaches and practical solutions in conflict resolution field by engaging with social and disadvantaged groups, as a trainer, under the roof of Conflictus. Together with this, after the Syrian crisis, she also has been working on social cohesion field by handling this issue under the roof of conflict resolution tools. In this context, she has developed and applied trainings by working with both local and international organizations in cities which have intense Syrian population. In addition to this, she had worked as a program coordinator of the Young Mediators Program which was implemented under the support of U.S. Embassy in Istanbul. Now, Dilara is one of the founding member of the Women Mediators Network of Turkey which is established under the support of Mediterranean Women Mediators Network since 2019. Also, since 2016, she has been working as victim-offender mediator in Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutors Office. Her profile can be accessed at https://tr.linkedin.com/in/dilaragok 

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Zaina Erhaim is a Syrian journalist and a consultant in media and gender with different organisations across the region.
She is the founder of Women Journalist Alliance that works to support and amplify the voices of women in journalism in the region.
She works as a managing editor of feminist website. Before working independently, Zaina was the communications manager for the Institute for War and Peace Reporting.
Ms. Erhaim has a master’s degree in international journalism from City, University of London.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Alisar Elias has been working with UNHCR for over 12 years; she started her journey as a field assistant conducting needs assessments and delivering humanitarian assistance to refugees in Syria. She then became involved in providing case management to SGBV survivors. In 2015, as the Senior Protection Associate (SGBV), she was leading the SGBV unit at the country office level, designing and planning SGBV prevention and response programmes nationwide focusing on internally displaced persons and returnees. Alisar has worked on developing community-based structures to empower the role of women in the community and enhance their involvement in the decision-making process.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Samira Bouhia is an activist who advocates for women’s rights in Morocco and more widely in the MENA region. She is an active member of a number of advocacy groups and networks and holds senior positions in many. She is a member of the Central Bureau of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights and leads on activities relating to women’s rights; coordinator of the Association’s Central Committee for Women’s Rights; coordinator of the National Coordinating Committee for the Commemoration of International Women’s Days (including human rights, women’s, youth, trade union and political bodies); a member of a committee of the Spring of Dignity Alliance (an alliance of 25 women’s and human rights organizations advocating women’s rights); coordinator of the World March in Morocco, a member of EuroMed Rights in the Working Group on Gender Equality and Women’s Rights; and a member of the Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in the Middle East and North Africa. Samira has coordinated a number of projects and training programmes relating to women’s political participation, women’s participation in senior decision-making positions as well as programmes that support female victims of gender-based violence.  From 2007 to 2010, Samira was the Project Coordinator for the women’s anti-illiteracy programmes run by the Ministry of National Education.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Dr. Lamees A. BenSaad is one of the founders of Tripolitanian Society, a civil society organisation working on national reconciliation, peacebuilding and gender-based violence. Lamees is also a member of Women Federation for World Peace International and World Heritage Watch and is a lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tripoli. She has been active in a number of charity organisations and educational programs in the International Women’s Group in Tripoli. She was a member of the Family Care Association from 1998-2002. In 1999, she represented Libya at the Women’s Federation for World Peace Congress entitled: ‘True Family and Love Congress’, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Additionally, she joined the International Women’s Association of Kuala Lumpur from 2009-2015.

At Tripolitanian Society she is the head of Women Committee, where her responsibilities are to open doors and work with others on a national and international scale. She has been involved in many projects such as national dialogue, and empowerment of women. She influenced many women from her region to believe in themselves and actively take up roles in the society. She has participated in many workshops and conferences that promote peace, security and women’s well-being.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Manal Bawazir is from Aden, Yemen and has been active in women’s and children’s rights since her childhood. Manal has been working in various fields in child protection and has carried out a lot of voluntary work that serviced society and contributed to raising awareness about the early marriage of girls, female genital mutilation (FGM) in rural areas, campaigns to prevent diseases and epidemics such as cholera and typhoid, and hygiene awareness. Manal currently works for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Aden as a Programme Associate, a position she has held since 2015.

During the crises of the internal wars of Yemen in 2011 as well as 2015 she contributed to volunteer work in the internally displaced persons (IDP) camps where she supervised the Abyan IDP camp in 2011. She coordinated the team of volunteers to organize food and clothing distribution campaigns as well as for the camp building supplies. Manal’s future goal is to study a master’s degree in women’s and children’s rights, and to then establish a humanitarian foundation, which will focus on women’s and children’s empowerment to become active partners in society. Manal hopes that one day she will make a substantial change in Yemen, especially regarding the unfair laws towards women’s rights that put severe penalties on anyone who violates them. This often manifests as either or both physical or psychological violence.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Mansi Arun Panjwani is an international peace educator and facilitator with over sixteen years of experience advancing peacebuilding through education, leadership development, and organisational culture. She works with educators, young leaders, and mission-driven institutions and organisations across countries to cultivate cultures of peace grounded in care, inclusion, and human dignity.

Her work brings together peace education, conflict transformation, humanistic leadership, and trauma-informed practice to support leaders and communities navigating complexity, difference, and social change. Mansi is known for designing participatory learning spaces that enable courageous dialogue, deepen reflection, and strengthen compassionate leadership.

She is the founder of The Peace Collective, an initiative that supports schools, organisations, and communities in building more humanistic and peace-centred cultures.

Mansi holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Peacebuilding from Jamia Millia Islamia, India, and a Master’s degree in Peace Education from the University for Peace in Costa Rica.

Participant in: December 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes

Sama’a Al-Hamdani is a non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute (MEI) focusing on political dynamics in Yemen. She has been published both in Arab and Western media and think tanks, including Al-Monitor, the LawFare blog, Brookings, The National (UAE), MENAsource (Atlantic Council Blog), Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Fikra Forum, The Middle East Institute Journal, Yemen Observer, and Yemen Times, among others. Al-Hamdani has spoken at many events and forums, including at Brown University, the Carnegie Middle East Center, the World Bank, the United Nations, and Chatham House. She has also made appearances on France24, BBC World Service, CNN, Aljazeera, Al-Araby Television, and C-SPAN, among other outlets.

Before joining MEI, she was a visiting fellow at the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies (CCAS) at Georgetown University and a fellow at the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies (SCSS). She is also the director of the Yemen Cultural Institute for Heritage and the Arts (YCIHA), a non-profit based in Washington, DC dedicated to Yemeni arts and heritage. Also, from 2011 to 2015 she wrote the blog Yemeniaty.com, with the slogan of “Yemen Simplified,” which helped explain political developments in Yemen during the Arab Spring and leading up to the civil war.

Participant in: August 2019 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Tairah Firdous is a communication expert, film maker and humanitarian worker. She is currently working as a media and gender advisor for Internews Network in Afghanistan for a media project called Rasana. Rasana trains female journalists in Afghanistan and supports women led media outlets in order to produce media content on women’s issues. The project also works on journalist safety issues and supports investigative journalism initiatives in Afghanistan.

Tairah has worked with Oxfam and Mercy Corps in emergencies and conflicts. She has reported extensively from conflicts in India and worked closely with IDPs. She has also covered humanitarian emergencies and the aftermath, especially in the devastating Kashmir Floods of 2014 , as well as 2015 Nepal Earth Quake.

In 2016, she moved to Kabul to take a Research Manager position at the Afghanistan Public Policy Research Organization. Tairah has an undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Kashmir. In 2006, She received a Ford Foundation Fellowship to pursue higher studies in the United States and completed her Master’s in Journalism at Hawaii Pacific University, with a specialization in documentary filmmaking.

Tairah is working on her first novel, mostly influenced by her own experiences of growing up in a conflict and working in other war zones.

Participant in: August 2019 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Ameenah A. Sawwan is a human rights activist/advocate from Syria, based in Berlin since 2016. Currently, she works as a campaigner at The Syria Campaign, a human rights and advocacy group. Ameenah works in particular on the campaign of the detention supporting detainees families and survivors to have the detainees cause as a priority in the peace talks of Syria. Back in Syria, she was part of the anti-regime movement in Western Damascus and worked along with other activists to highlight the violations committed in that area. At the end of 2012, she started ‘Vision’ which was a local civil society organization dedicated to the welfare of women empowerment and traumatized children. Activities included relief assistance, population census for relief work coordination, and coming up with creative approaches/activities to support children. Vision worked strongly on holding events and also produce multimedia reports to advocate for the situation under the strict siege in Western Damascus. Ameenah kept working on that until she left Syria at the end of 2013. Ameenah has experience in advocacy and campaigning, communication and media as she has spent the last eight years working on Syria for several NGOs and media outlets.  In Berlin, she is now studying Ethics and Politics at Bard College Berlin.

Participant in: August 2019 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Rania Kanjam Mohammad Al-Hayouk is a Jordanian women’s rights advocate and development professional with extensive experience in civil society leadership, gender equality, and human rights. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the National Association for Family Empowerment in Jordan, where she leads strategic initiatives aimed at empowering women, youth, and vulnerable communities across the country.
Rania has a strong track record in managing and implementing development programs, having overseen more than 20 national projects focused on enhancing women’s participation in public, private, and digital spheres. Her work centers on strengthening women’s leadership, promoting inclusive development, and advancing community resilience.
Throughout her career, Rania has collaborated with numerous international and regional organizations, contributing to initiatives that support gender justice, social inclusion, and sustainable development. Her leadership and commitment have led to her being selected among 1,000 distinguished women leaders, representing Jordan in several international and national forums focused on women’s empowerment and leadership.
Rania previously served as Deputy Secretary-General of the Jordanian National Women’s Gathering, where she played a key role in advancing advocacy efforts for women’s rights and policy engagement.
She is actively involved in national advocacy platforms, serving as a member of the National Coalition for the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, President of the Jordanian Forum for the Implementation of Resolution 1325, and President of the National Protection Coalition in Jordan.
Through her work, Rania continues to champion women’s leadership, human rights, and inclusive participation in decision-making processes at the national and international levels.

Participant in: August 2019 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Sumona DasGupta trained as a Political Scientist and is currently an independent writer and researcher based out of New Delhi India. She is senior research Consultant to Women in Security , Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP) an initiative based in New Delhi, Guest editor of Peace Prints the South Asian journal of Peacebuilding, and a member of Women Mediators across the Commonwealth. She researches and writes on participatory democracy, gender peace and conflict. She was previously the chair of the International Advisory Group of the International Conflict Research Institute at the University of Ulster from 2010-2016.

Participant in: August 2019 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Visaka Dharmadasa is the founder and Chair of Association of War Affected Women and Parents of Servicemen Missing in Action, struggling to end the civil war, she was able to broker the ceasefire between GOSL and LTTE, and was able to bring women together across the conflict lines to work for peace, Ms Dharmadasa educates soldiers and community leaders about international standards of conduct of war specifically to raise awareness about the importance of soldier’s identification tags and treatment to prisoners of war. She also works on disseminating the content of UN resolution 1325 on women peace and security, calling for the inclusion of women at all levels of peace building and decision making., She trains women to run for political office and power sharing. In 2023 she was able to bring Buddhist monks and the Tamil Diaspora to a facilitated dialogue which resulted in a 6 points Himalaya Declaration which has received acceptance from the highest office of the country. She was awarded the prestigious Humanitarian award for 2006 by Interaction of Washington DC a consortium comprises of 160 non-governmental organizations. In coordination with the “1000 Peace women across the globe” movement, she was nominated for a collective Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. She was awarded the Human Rights Salutation for 2022. She was a team member of special rapporteur to look into the violence in northeast of Sri Lanka and the ceasefire violations by the Human Rights commission, and Consultation Taskforce on Reconciliation Mechanisms appointed by Government of Sri Lanka. She is a network member of Women Waging Peace, a founding member of Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL), a member of the expert pool of Resolution to Act, a member of Global Network of Women Peace builders, as well a senior member of Women Mediators Across the Commonwealth. She convenes Sri Lankan Collective for Consensus and Awakened Citizens. She is the gender focal point for GPPAC in Sri Lanka, a director of the board of National Peace Council and PAFFREL of Sri Lanka. She was a member of the Civil Society Advisory Group of UN Women for the region. Visaka Dharmadasa holds a degree in negotiations and mediation skills and in women and security from Harvard.

Participant in: August 2017 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes 

Sala Khaled is a Programmes Officer at the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies. She leads the programme ‘Strategic Local Peace Building in Yemen: Building Peace From the Ground Up’, which explores creative, inclusive new models to achieve lasting peace in Marib and Hadramawt. In addition to this, she is responsible for the human rights section of the monthly publication, The Yemen Review. This involves monitoring, researching and writing about human rights violations from airstrikes to abuses of prisoners. 

She is also a co-founder of ‘Innovative Yemen’, an initiative that seeks to foster entrepreneurship and innovative development in assessing and addressing local challenges in Yemen. She holds a BA in International Business Management from the Lebanese International University in Yemen, and a diploma in project management from Talal Abu Ghazaleh University in Amman, Jordan.

Participant in: August 2019 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Naela Chohan is a career diplomat and an artist. As a seasoned and veteran diplomat, ambassador Chohan has assumed a leadership position in eight different Pakistani diplomatic missions on five different continents. Along with only a handful of other diplomats, Naela Chohan represents the first and senior-most cohort of women to rise to the highest echelon of Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Canada’s weekly foreign policy Embassy Magazine in January, 2008 described her by saying that “though slight in stature and soft in speech, Naela Chohan accounts for 50 per cent of the Pakistani foreign service’s most potent power couple.”

Having started her diplomatic career on the China Desk at Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has been a proponent of a strong Pakistan-China Alliance premised on multifaceted cooperation. Naela Chohan is also committed to the prohibition of global Chemical Weapons, being the first civilian and woman to head the National Authority on the Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical weapons in Pakistan. She is responsible for having conceived or restored several Pakistani landmarks including the Plaza de Pakistan in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She was the first female foreign diplomat to be formally received by the Iranian Government after the 1979 Revolution. Naela Chohan was unanimously elected Chairperson for three consecutive years of Asia Pacific Centre (APDC), Kuala Lumpur.

Naela Chohan has served as High Commissioner of Pakistan to Australia, where she laid emphasis on bolstering bilateral ties, therein prioritizing the enhancement of security, agricultural, educational and economic relations. She has previously served as Pakistan’s Additional Foreign Secretary for the Middle East and Africa, prior to which she was the Ambassador of Pakistan to Argentina, Uruguay, Peru and Ecuador, where she has been a vocal proponent of stronger ties between Pakistan and Latin America. She is an alumnus of Quaid-e-Azam University and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Beyond her diplomatic career, Ambassador Naela Chohan is a strong advocate of Women’s Rights through the medium of visual arts, and exhibitions of her art have taken place on five Continents. She has continued to create awareness about various social and humanitarian issues internationally including at the UN. Her most notable work is “Encaged” at her solo painting exhibition entitled Souffrance, which is kept on permanent display at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris since 2002. According to UNESCO, “Cest une voix visuelle. Forte par la coluer et la compositition des image” (She is a visual voice. Strong in colours and in composition of images). Ambassador Chohan received her formal training in visual arts from Malaysian Institute of Arts (MIA), l’ecole Nationale Superior des Beaux Arts, l’ecole de Louvre. She has a Diploma in Trompe l’oiel from Ateliers du Carrousel, Palais de Louvre.

She retired from her Diplomatic Service in Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs on 5^th May 2018, and is since is pursuing her “Give Back” to the youth of Pakistan by opting teaching at her alma mater and other strategic organisations and institutions, in addition to actively taking up her artistic talent.

Participant in: August 2019 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Thouiba Galad is a Programme Assistant for Human Rights and Governance at the European Union Delegation in Sudan. Prior to this, she worked at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and at AECOM International (USAID). She has a diploma in Peace and Development from Bahri University and a masters in Gender and Migration, and has carried out research on human trafficking in Eastern Sudan since 2013.

Participant in: April/May 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes; MENA Focus 

Marwa Khaled is a humanitarian worker and gender equality activist. She is currently a WASH Officer at UNICEF in Aden, a role that includes programme management and implementation, alongside communication and networking. She is also involved in data collection and analysis, and collaborates with local stakeholders and other members of the development community, including NGOS, the UN, and bilateral agencies, in the WASH sector in particular. She has several years of experience of working on gender equality, conflict resolution, and women’s empowerment.

Participant in: April/May 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes; MENA Focus 

Pinar Akpinar is a scholar at the Conflict Resolution and Mediation Stream of Istanbul Policy Center. She is currently Project Manager of Dialogue and Sustainable Conflict Resolution in the Kurdish Question and Polarization in Turkey Project. Pinar received her PhD from the School of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy (SPIRE), Keele University with her dissertation entitled ‘An emerging mediator on the periphery: Turkey’s mediations in the Syrian-Israeli talks and in Somalia’. Her research interests lie in the intersection of conflict resolution and foreign policy with a focus on mediation, peacebuilding, Turkish foreign policy and the Middle East. Pinar taught at various universities including Sabancı University and Keele University. Between 2014-2014, she was lecturer at the Department of International Relations and Vice Director at Center for International Conflict Resolution, Yalova University. She was a visiting scholar at the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University in 2013.

Participant in: April/May 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes; MENA Focus 

Mais Al-Lobaidy is a passionate individual committed to growth, community, and academic excellence. Originally from Syria, she shows resilience and curiosity in pursuing opportunities that broaden her perspective and skills.

With a background in Social and Behavioural Change, Ditetics, and Public Health, Mais is interested in leadership, community development, social cohesion, technology, and innovation. Her experiences have fostered appreciation for cultural exchange and global collaboration, motivating her to engage in initiatives across Syria, Lebanon, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.

Beyond academics, Mais is involved in the humanitarian field, which has strengthened her ability to adapt, lead, and work in diverse environments. She cares about justice, children’s rights, and seeks opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Joining the Scotland Bound Borders Foundation is an exciting step, providing a platform to expand her horizons, connect with like-minded people, and contribute to an international community.

Looking ahead, Mais aims to foster peaceful, cohesive communities, using her skills to make a positive impact.

Participant in: April/May 2019 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes; MENA Focus 

Lama Kannout is a Syrian feminist, political activist, and researcher, and is currently the executive director of the Syrian Feminist Lobby in Beirut. She earned a BA in Interior Design, and owned and directed Lama Advertising Agency between 1992 and 2014. She was a member of the political office of the Arab Socialists Movement from 2000 to 2008, and has co-founded several civil society organisations. She is also an executive office member of the Musawa organisation, chairperson of the board of directors of the Syrian Centre for Citizenship, and coordinator of the studies committee in the Syrian Feminist Lobby. Ms Kannout participated in the indirect talks of Gevena II in 2014 as a member of the follow-up committee of the Syrian Women Initiative for Peace and Democracy.