Samira Hadi Saleh Obaid is a Yemeni expert in human rights, women’s affairs, child protection, and community development, with more than fifteen years of professional experience across government, humanitarian, and development sectors. Her expertise includes programme and project management, capacity building and training, and institutional coordination.

She currently serves as Director General of Governorate Affairs and Acting Director General of the General Directorate for Women at the Ministry of Human Rights. She previously served as Head of the Technical Unit at the Ministry, where she contributed to the implementation and follow-up of plans, programmes, and activities; the development of national policies and strategies in the field of human rights; technical coordination with government institutions and international organisations; and the preparation and follow-up of relevant studies and reports.

Samira has contributed to a number of national processes and committees, including the team responsible for developing the National Human Rights Strategy and the Preparatory Committee for the National Observatory for Child Rights. In cooperation with the National Women’s Committee, she also contributed to compiling data, information, and responses from the Ministry of Human Rights for the periodic report related to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). She also participated in the team developing the project on countering violent extremism and in the team responsible for drafting the Cybercrime Law.

Samira has extensive experience working with international and humanitarian organisations, including ADRA International, Save the Children, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Her work has covered child protection, case management, psychosocial support, education, assistance to refugees and internally displaced persons, and the establishment and training of protection and community committees. She has also trained teachers, social workers, volunteers, and community-based personnel.

She has substantial experience in training and capacity building in areas including child protection, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, gender-based violence, first aid, child nutrition, student councils, and protection committees.

Samira has participated in specialised programmes and events at both national and international levels, including a programme on Child Protection in Emergencies and Rapid Assessment in Jordan, meetings related to the development of the National Human Rights Strategy in cooperation with the Danish Institute for Human Rights, and a training course on international human rights mechanisms in Geneva.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Aden.

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