Melissa Safi is a postgraduate professional with a strong background in human rights research in the Middle East and North Africa region. She has assisted with research reports and the implementation of projects focused on the Middle East and Africa with several organizations including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Human Rights Watch, and the Arab Center Washington D.C. She completed her MA in International Affairs from the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at the City College of New York (CUNY), where she conducted a gendered analysis to examine the drivers of child marriage in Niger. She received her BA in Political Science with a concentration in International Affairs and Diplomacy and double-minor in Journalism and Law from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY).