MENA Impact Women is an independent, women-led regional platform advancing applied research, strategic empowerment and meaningful impact across the Middle East and North Africa.
Established in early 2026 by accomplished girls and women professionals with lived and professional experience across MENA and international contexts, MENA Impact Women brings together multidisciplinary expertise, deep knowledge of the region and experience of international development approaches and practices.
This positioning enables the platform to engage with global development frameworks while remaining attentive to the languages, values, lived realities and social contexts of women across the region.
The platform’s founding and advisory team brings together girls and women from across the MENA region and internationally, reflecting a diversity of geographic, academic, and professional perspectives. Their collective expertise spans international development, gender studies, human rights, international cooperation, communication for development, partnerships and institutional relations, engineering and innovation, arts and cultural practice, business administration, economics, and international trade.
Office of the President
The Office of the President provides the platform’s strategic direction, institutional vision and overall governance.
It oversees organisational development and ensures that MENA Impact Women’s research, strategic empowerment programmes, publishing activities, partnerships and regional initiatives remain aligned with the platform’s mission, values and long-term objectives.
The Presidency is presented as an institutional function, with responsibility for strategic leadership, quality assurance and the coordination of the platform’s integrated model connecting research, learning, publishing and action.
Leadership & Advisory Roles
Separate from the Office of the President, the platform also benefits from leadership, advisory and coordination roles that support its research, programmes and regional engagement
Co-Founder, Research and Innovation Advisor
Carmen is a PhD researcher in Biorobotics, an engineering graduate, and a science communicator and educator committed to encouraging girls and young women to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Shaped by her Italian and Tunisian heritage, she brings a multicultural perspective to her work. As a Fulbright Visiting Student Researcher at Harvard University, she combines engineering, biology, robotics, and regenerative medicine to develop new approaches aimed at making limb regeneration possible. She was crowned Miss Universe Italy 2023 and uses her public platform to promote science, education, and women’s participation in scientific and technological fields. Guided by her motto, “Empowering girls through the beauty of science,” she works to make science more accessible, inspiring, and inclusive.
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Vice-President and Egypt Lead
Sally is a media and communication specialist, freelance journalist, media trainer, and Master’s researcher in Digital Media. As an Egyptian professional active across the Middle East and North Africa, she brings a strong regional perspective to her work. She has extensive experience in media training, educational programme management, and initiatives advancing media development, digital innovation, and women’s empowerment. Her academic research focuses on the sustainability of media organisations and international media development. Her professional work centres on strategic communication, capacity building, partnership development, and sustainable social impact. She is committed to strengthening collaboration across media, education, and sustainable development.
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MENA Impact Women is supported by a growing coordination network that contributes to programme delivery, partnerships, and country-level engagement across the region
Wissal Cheraitia
Partnerships Lead & National Coordinator for Algeria
Rym Ben Ameur
National Coordinator for Tunisia
Women-Led Governance
The platform is guided by women with professional and lived experience across MENA and international contexts.
Regional Grounding
Strategic decisions are informed by knowledge of the region’s cultures, languages, institutions and diverse social and economic realities.
Evidence and Integrity
Research, programmes, publications and communication are developed through responsible, transparent and evidence-informed processes.
Complementary Responsibilities
The governance structure combines strategic oversight, regional leadership, research and innovation through clearly defined and mutually reinforcing roles.
Contextual Relevance
The platform does not apply standardised solutions. Its approaches are adapted to different countries, communities and professional realities.
Accountability and Learning
MENA Impact Women documents its activities, reviews emerging evidence and continually strengthens its programmes, partnerships and institutional development.
For your inquiries please write to:
editor@menaimpactwomen.org
Discover the MENA Impact Women Pilot Programme and hear directly from the women who took part.
