Alaa Assani is a Nonresident Fellow at TIMEP focusing on housing, land & property, and gender in Syria. She is a passionate Syrian refugee and human rights defender with a background in computer engineering from Aleppo University in Syria. She is a development planner and holds an MSc in Development Administration and Planning from University College London (UCL), in the UK. She is a 2022 fellow with the “Women in Conflict 1325” program by Beyond Borders Scotland and was recognized as a Leadership awardee of UKFCDO Chevening in 2020 and a fellow Young Leader with the Swedish Institute in 2018. Her dedication lies in advancing sustainable feminist peace and justice in Syria. Alaa has over 10 years of experience working with INGOs, such as Women International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), GIZ, FBA, Expertise France, No Peace without Justice, Danish Refugee Council, as well as UN agencies (UNHCR and UNICEF). She has excelled in project management and advocacy efforts in the fields of gender, development, and human rights. She has worked closely with women-led organizations and civil society in Syria and the wider MENA region, centering their lived experiences and amplifying their voices and needs. Over the past four years, Alaa’s focus has been on gendered issues of housing, land, and property (HLP) rights for displaced Syrians, particularly women. Outside of her professional life, she is a proud mother to her three-year-old son, Sam. You can follow her on Twitter: @Alaa_Assani.