Head of Office, OCHA United Arab Emirates
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.
