Sajeda Shawa is the Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the United Arab Emirates, where she leads the UAE Humanitarian Advisory Team. A seasoned humanitarian, she is known for her leadership in crisis response, donor engagement, strategic partnerships, and humanitarian diplomacy, with focus on climate action, gender-responsive approaches, and empowering women in humanitarian settings.
Previously, she played a pivotal role in the Syria crisis response at OCHA’s Regional Office, leading donor relations and resource mobilization and serving as Special Advisor to the UN Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator. Before joining the UN, she worked with the European Commission’s ECHO on humanitarian operations across the Middle East.
Ms. Shawa is a certified Board Director and an advocate for women’s empowerment and youth leadership. She serves on boards and mentoring initiatives and is a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School’s Executive Education Program.