Sawsan al-Refaei

Sawsan Al-Refaei is a seasoned professional in community safety, anti-racism advocacy, and human rights education, currently serving as the Manager of Community Safety and Wellbeing for the City of Ottawa since January 2024. Prior experience includes roles as Program Manager and Women and Gender Equity Specialist at the City of Ottawa from June 2019 to October 2023, and Human Rights Education Specialist at Equitas-International Centre for Human Rights Education. Sawsan has worked on various significant projects, including evaluating the Women and Girls Safe Spaces Program for the Ministère des Affaires étrangères français and coordinating policy and advocacy efforts with the Civil Society Education Fund. With a strong academic background in Health Policy and Gender Studies from esteemed institutions, Sawsan has contributed to important research initiatives with organizations such as UN Women and the British Council, focusing on women's roles in conflict resolution and the impact of international development programs.