Urooj Mian is a champion of the Women’s Peace and Security Agenda (WPS) and its effective implementation using National Action Plans. She is experienced in policy development, evaluations, strategic planning, performance measurement frameworks, and engagement, and has worked with and trained on equality and diversity issues for almost two decades.
As an expert at the Technical Assistance Partnership – Expert Deployment Mechanism (TAP-EDM) initiative, Urooj collaborates with the Government of Somalia’s Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development (MoWHRD) to advise on the implementation of Somalia’s National Action Plan on Women Peace and Security and the Somali Women’s Charter.
Urooj is a passionate advocate for the WPS agenda in Canada and abroad. She has served as the founding Executive Director and President of Women in International Security (WIIS) Canada, advocating for the adoption of the UNSCR 1325 agenda and the advancement of women in leadership positions in peace and security. Recently she played a key role in coordinating national civil society input with the WPS Network Canada and continues to offer expert support as Canada develops its third National Action Plan.
Urooj frequently conducts training sessions on gender and peacebuilding and regularly engages as an international expert on the topic of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) and WPS. She is also the founding Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Human Empowerment (SHE Associates) Inc., a boutique consulting firm in Ottawa, committed to fostering sustainable change in issues of gender, justice, and peace worldwide. Urooj holds a Master’s in Peace and Conflict Research and a Master’s in Law in International Crime and Justice.